[blockstart:500]
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How did Elani and I begin our love?
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The day was filled with golden light. Talakun and Elani found shelter in the shade of a spreading tree. At its roots, as if trying to reach the sun, grew a large flower with red and yellow petals. The air was filled with the light scent of wild herbs, and in this peace it seemed as if time had stopped.



[blockend:500]




[blockstart:501]
Elani: (looking at his profile) Talakun, you are thinking about something. Your eyes are like a stormy sky.

Talakun: (turning to her) Elani, it is time to put aside dreams of quiet happiness. The chieftain has called the warriors.

Elani: (squeezing his hands) So, war again?

Talakun: (nodding) Yes, but it is not forever. We must fight for our land, for our freedom.

Elani: (looking into his eyes) I will wait for you, Talakun.

Talakun: I will return, Elani, strong and whole. And once I return, no war will prevent us from joining. We will marry, and no separation will touch us again.


[blockend:501]




[blockstart:502]
Warriors! Sons and daughters of this land! Today we stand on the threshold of a great cause. Our home is in danger, and the shadows are gathering on our borders. Our duty is to defend our land, to protect our loved ones! I entrust you to march under the leadership of the brave Talakun! He will lead you to victory, he will show the enemy the power of our weapons and the strength of our spirit. Let the enemy tremble before our fury! Forward to victory, in the name of our people!




[blockend:502]




[blockstart:503]
After a whole season in the summer, when the weather was unbearably hot, I set out on my way to the city early to report the victory in the campaign and to see my beloved Elani, will I fulfill the promise I made to her before the war?




[blockend:503]




[blockstart:504]
Here is my beloved and hometown Nakhonto, nothing has changed in one summer, but I must inform the chief about the arrival from the beginning, it must be and the pyramids





[blockend:504]




[blockstart:505]
One of the chieftain's assistants was standing at the entrance, I asked him:
-Where is the chieftain? I brought news of victory in the war!
-Glory to our Talakun! It was not in vain that the spirits bestowed such power upon you! But now the chieftain is talking with one of those who came to our land. With Torvald "the Merciful"
-You can tell from his name, NOBLE, he is a man, but while I wait I want to find Elani! Maybe she is at the training ground?



[blockend:505]




[blockstart:506]
Fight the war! Fight as if you were fighting your enemy!!!
-Hey, commander! I returned victorious from the war!
-May the spirits bless you, Talaskun!
-Have you seen Elani, I can't wait to see her beautiful face!
-She was here recently, I should check by the river, maybe she's washing laundry.



[blockend:506]



[blockstart:507]
- Hey, guard, praise the spirits for bringing us victory in the war!
- The spirits have blessed you, Commander Talakun!
- Have you seen my Elani? Maybe she was here?
The guard looked down at the ground and said:
- I haven't seen her here, go to the eastern part of the city, maybe she is there?


[blockend:507]

[blockstart:508]
-Hey! Praise the spirits for the victory they brought in the war!
-You were blessed by them, Talakun!
-Where is Elani, she should be here?
Suddenly one of the warriors ran up to me and said that the leader was waiting for you!


[blockend:508]

[blockstart:509]
Suddenly, a strangely dressed, not like ours, formidable man came out with the leader, and he was armed, which means that he is a very important guest?


[blockend:509]

[blockstart:510]
- CHIEF! The spirits have brought victory to our army! Praise them!

- You have been blessed by the spirits themselves, Talakun! What do you want in return for this victory?

- I want to fulfill my oath, Chieftain - I want to take Elani as my wife, as I promised before the war!

The Chieftain fell silent, looking down at the ground. A heavy silence hung over them. Finally, he raised his head and said:

- Before making plans, talk to the man who just left my company. Find out his decision... personally.

Talakun frowned. "What do you mean... personally? Why is the Chieftain speaking so strangely?" flashed through my mind.


[blockend:510]

[blockstart:511]
The man stood in the shadows of the forest beyond the training grounds, as if waiting for someone. His presence here seemed out of place, alien. The passage to him was guarded by two strong soldiers, armed to the teeth, but I did not stop. Coming closer, I asked:

“Who are you? Where did you come from? I have never seen anyone like you before.”

The man grinned, casting an appraising glance at me.

“Oh! Talakun, the hero himself! The chieftain has spoken a lot about you. About your success in battle, about your strength… and about your love for Elani.”

“What?” I frowned, feeling anxiety growing inside me. “Why do you need to know this? And what are you even talking about?”


[blockend:511]

[blockstart:512]
Suddenly Elani appeared. What was she doing here? And with him? Incomprehensible thoughts swirled in my head, but the stranger interrupted my thoughts, grinning:

“I fell in love with Elani at first sight! And she will become my wife! And your childish infatuation…” he grimaced, “…just forget about it. Otherwise, it will be worse.”

“How dare you!” I blurted out. Rage boiled in my blood, ready to burst out.

But he only waved his hand contemptuously and threw over his shoulder:

“Guards, take him away from here!”

I was not going to tolerate this. Not a single soldier will touch me with impunity! Anger overwhelmed me, ready to sweep away everything in its path.
Kill the guards of this inhuman!


[blockend:512]

[blockstart:513]
In a fit of rage, I left the guards no chance! Blood splattered on the grass, bodies fell at the stranger's feet. He, stunned by my sudden and unbridled cruelty, recoiled. In the blink of an eye, he pulled out an intricately carved horn from under the cloak fastened to his belt, raised it to his mouth, and blew with all his might! A deafening, heart-rending cry rolled through the forest and the settlement, making the blood run cold in my veins. I realized: this was a call to arms. But I had my own answer - the beaded dreamcatcher that I always wore around my neck. Grabbing it with a trembling hand, I tore it from my neck and raised it above my head, shouting the battle cry of my ancestors with all my might! And in response to the horn, a wild, guttural roar of my fellow tribesmen rang out throughout the settlement!

[blockend:513]

[blockstart:514]
Elani moved behind me, she didn’t understand what was happening and was silent, one soldier after another jumped out of the forest, and my fellow tribesmen came running from behind!


[blockend:514]

[blockstart:515]
- Your mistake, Talakun, is that people like you exist at all! You will regret what you have done! Tell your leader, - his voice dripped with venom, - that we will not leave this unpunished!

- It was you who came to our land, and wanted to take by force the one that is dear to me! For this, I punished your people! - my voice was full of contempt. - Risk returning, and the same fate awaits you!

- No, Talakun, - the stranger hissed, looking me in the eyes with hatred. - You will not pay for these words with your life. You will lose something more than your own miserable life...

With these words, he turned and walked into the forest, and his people hurried after him. I watched them go, feeling a chill run down my spine. I hope we never see them again. We need to talk to the leader immediately.


[blockend:515]

[blockstart:516]
At the entrance stood the chieftain's assistant, but where was the chieftain himself? I wanted to go to him, but he said:
-The chieftain is ill, tell me what you want to tell him.
-These foreigners have left us and I hope they will never return
-Their leader is Thorvald "the Merciful" I think you were wrong to drive them away, but I will not teach you anything. I will inform the chieftain.


[blockend:516]



[blockstart:517]
After that, the night began, and I wanted to ask Elani what it was?



[blockend:517]

[blockstart:518]
The silence was heavy on my ears. The night enveloped the settlement, unbroken by a single sound. But the silence inside me was far more terrible. Finally, I broke it:

“Elani, how can you explain to me what is between you and that man? Why did he say he would take you as his wife while I was away at war?”

Elani looked down, and the moonlight caught the tears glistening on her eyelashes.

“Talakun, it was several weeks after you left when they came,” her voice trembled. “They were led by that… that man. They brought news of a terrible battle far from here, where no one survived. They said that you, too… died.”

I clenched my fists, feeling the old pain pierce my heart.

“There was no news for a long time,” Elani continued. “The elders decided… decided that I should marry, so that the clan would not be left without protection. He was strong, powerful… But my heart… my heart has always belonged to you, Talakun. I waited. I hoped.

I looked at her, trying to read the truth in her eyes. Pain and doubt tormented me, but deep down I knew… I knew she was telling the truth. She waited.

“I don’t blame you, Elani,” I whispered, pulling her close. “War… war changes everything. But I’m here now. And nothing will separate us again.”

I held her tighter, feeling her body tremble.

“I will keep my promise, Elani,” I whispered in her ear. “After all this… we will be married. And no war, no spirits will be able to come between us.”

[blockend:518]

[blockstart:519]
We sat in silence, admiring the silvery glow of the moon that filled the clearing. The peace of the night was suddenly broken by a warrior, out of breath from running.

“Talakun!” he blurted out, catching his breath with difficulty. “There are bodies in the training grounds. The bodies of soldiers who guarded the approaches. Perhaps wild animals have gone wild? In any case, I do not wish to sow panic in the settlement. Please, see for yourself.”

“Okay,” I replied, feeling anxiety squeeze my heart. “I will go now.”

Turning to Elani, I said:

“Stay here. Be with the warriors at the tent. I will find out what is going on there and return.”

[blockend:519]

[blockstart:520]
I approached the warrior who had found the bodies. According to him, the bodies bore sword wounds, but not the kind used by our tribe or the neighboring nations. And then it burned me: I realized my mistake... I had left Elani practically defenseless...

[blockend:520]


[blockstart:521]
Elani had already been captured! When I burst into the clearing, she had already been tied up, leaning against a tree trunk, and Thorvald, surrounded by his soldiers, was standing triumphantly nearby.

“Shameless!” I growled, clenching my fists. “If you lay a finger on Elani, your heads will be cut off!”

Thorvald grimaced contemptuously.

“Try to stop me, savage!” he laughed. “I will take her to my lands, and there, in my homeland, I will MARRY her! AHAHAHAHA!”

I was ready to rush at them, sweeping away everything in my path, but someone’s strong hand held me back. At the same time, more and more of Thorvald’s soldiers began to run out of the forest, and the cry of one of our warriors rang through the air:

“ATTACK!”


[blockend:521]

[blockstart:522]
The number of soldiers kept increasing, and I was being held back by others, I couldn't break through to Elani, and then Torvald shouted:
-Faster! There are too many of them, we're running into the forest, they took Elani with them...



[blockend:522]

[blockstart:523]
They ran away! I despaired, there were more and more soldiers, and I didn't know what to do, there was no one to go in pursuit with and it was dangerous. What should I do?


[blockend:523]

[blockstart:524]
I was already in despair about what to do, but Torvald didn’t stop there... ATTACK
We need to run along the northern path, it’s trampled, and there shouldn’t be anyone there!

[blockend:524]

[blockstart:525]
On my way north I met a group of refugees, well now we will restore our people together!


[blockend:525]

[blockstart:526]
Unfortunately, Talakun did not fulfill the oath of death in one day, now there is simply no point...


[blockend:526]

