“Alicia, be careful,” hearing a familiar boyish voice behind her, she only laughed loudly and, lifting the hem of her blue dress to her very ankles, quickly ran forward along a wide fallen log of a centuries-old oak to the other side of a narrow gorge.

Beneath me, with its mouth open, the abyss was white with the icy waters of a mountain river.

So deep it made my head spin.

Sharp rocks protruded from the water like the teeth of a dragon.

Startled, she looked up and slowed her pace.

Looking down was always so scary that my palms were sweaty.

Having reached the rocky ground, I turned around and, raising my hands up, circled merrily, showing how brave I am.

Fearless. And in general the most-most.

- You see, Frodi, not only dragons are strong and dexterous, but magicians too!

- Yes, where are you before us, - my best secret friend deftly jumped up on a log, and then, showing off, suddenly jumped up and stood up on his hands. And just like that, dangling his legs in the air, he overcame all the way.

— Poser! I snorted at him. “You boys always show off.

I felt embarrassed. He always shows up.

- What kind of boys are these? Frodi got to his feet and put his hands on his hips. “I'm your only friend. The best and favorite!

Pursing his lips, he glared at me from under the long bangs.

“Fi…” I turned up my nose, “as the eldest heiress of the family, I have many suitors,” sighing dreamily, I caught a thin light curl that had escaped from my strict hairstyle and began to wrap it around my finger. “I’ll turn eleven in three years and I’ll even be allowed to watch the adults dance at the ball. I'll waltz on the top platform. Maybe even with a boy.

Putting my hands in the right place, I hugged my non-existent partner and began to dance, looking at the ground.

She could not remember which foot to take the first step from.

“Oh-oh-oh,” Frodi jumped up to me and, grabbing my waist, led me in the dance. Yes, so deftly that I wanted to step on his foot.

But I'm educated.

I'm Lera Lana Matei.

“Alicia, you know... Yes, I have all my rivals with one left,” Frodi lifted his chin importantly. - And dragons can appear at balls and parties from the cradle.

“Nonsense, this is the wrong upbringing,” I snorted. “You dragons don't know manners.

“We all know, girl,” lifting me by the waist, he circled in the air. “Just you mages, prim and pompous.

"I'm not pompous," I squealed, laughing.

- Of course not, but your brother - yes, - Frodi put me on a low stump. - I met him yesterday. Your father came to visit us at the estate.

- What for?

- I wanted to buy it, haven't you heard - the war is coming soon.

“My nanny says it’s all nonsense,” I immediately objected.

“Don’t be stupid, Alicia.” His always cheerful green eyes faded. “The sorcerers have declared that this is their continent. And the dragons won't take it.

- And I say: there will be no war! I folded my arms across my chest and stamped my foot impatiently. “You boys would only have to fight. The brother is the same - he rushes along the corridors with his sword. Doesn't let me play. And yesterday he took my favorite doll and hacked it to death on the street. I cried so much when the nanny sewed her head back on.

Remembering how she took away the head of her beloved rag doll from her brother, and he, mockingly, kicked her harmful younger sisters, sniffed angrily. Okay, this stale boy. He would only have to show that even though he is younger than me, he is still the heir. But these two petty dirty tricks... The sisters did not miss the opportunity to annoy me, bring me to tears.

The twins were unbearable.

Even sometimes adults were not listened to. And this, in my understanding, was the height of bad manners.

He is a fool, your brother. You can't hurt sisters! Frodi immediately took my side. — I would give him cuffs.

He shook his fist belligerently in the air.

Looking at him, she chuckled. Yes, Frodi, he was not weak as a boy. Dirty, however, a little, but the nanny would wash it and cut the bangs. And then his warm chocolate-colored hair always hung in icicles, covering his face.

As a lere, it was important for me that the groom looked neat, ironed and ... More combed.

And Frodi... Oh, such a disgrace.

And this is the son of a large landowner!

Our lan was adjacent to the lands of dragons. The border passed here nearby and from my window in the castle I could clearly see the huge cottage in which my future groom lived. Here I will grow up a little more and weave such a wreath for him ... Envy to everyone. Or a bracelet. Yes! From colored laces. So that no one else has it.

- Frodi, if there is a war, you will leave, right? I whispered, suddenly realizing that I could lose my beloved friend.

“Of course,” he nodded importantly and brushed his bangs off his face. “My father is one of the emperor's best warriors. He is a general!

“And if it’s a general,” I screwed up my eyes, “then why isn’t the land yours?”

She is ours! Frodi was outraged. “It’s just that our traditions are not like yours. All land belongs to the emperor! And those who faithfully serve him are given the right to build houses and cultivate it. We have tribal communities. And the head of the family is my uncle. It is to him that the castle belongs. And we settle in a circle to protect the family nest.

— But, if the war will you fly away?

“Yes, let’s turn around and go to the capital.” Let's draw our swords and go to the enemy...

“That is, on us ...” I corrected him.

He sighed, tilted his chin. In a word, boy.

“And you won’t pull anything out,” I sang sweetly. - You're still small!

- Alicia Matei, just so you know, I'm at the age when a dragon is given a real sword. I'm a warrior, girl!

- You're small! - I did not concede out of harm, so as not to think of myself as an adult.

And then, you look, and stop playing with me! With whom should I run for flowers then? With whom to collect colored pebbles in crevices. And watch the fry?

He wanted to grow up!

“You’re still small, Frodi, and that’s it,” I stamped my foot to give weight to my words.

“It’s not true, look here,” he pulled out a wooden sword from its scabbard and hacked at a branch, but it did not break off.

Laughing, I stuck my tongue out at him.

“Oh, you’re harmful, Lera,” he shook his fist. - Well, come here. I'm about to pull your honey pigtails. If a bee follows you, I won't drive it away. And bees love girls with hair the color of linden honey. Especially when these clean lehrs smell of flowers.

"Frodi," I protested. - Do not say that! You will save me from any bee. But still you are not big yet, but small. It's too early for you to fight.

— For you to understand, girls, — frowning, he sat down on a rotten stump. “I was born to become the strongest general in the emperor’s army. But without a war - it's so long.

Frowning, I walked over to him and sat down next to him.

The sun rose high above the horizon, baking.

We sat on a stump and thought each of his own.

"Frodi," I couldn't stand the silence. “But if you fly away, then how will we get married when we grow up?”

- How-how, easy! he waved it off. - I will fly for you, and you will write to me while we are apart.

- Where should I write?

“Well, of course I will give you my marriage bracelet and put a note with the address in it. You’re smart, you’ll sneak into your father’s office, write the necessary lines on the envelope and slip it into his other letters. Can you?

Thinking about it, I remembered how many letters my father writes in a week.

The box is complete! It always stands open in his office and is not checked.

"I can," I nodded confidently. What about the wedding bracelet?

- Certainly! - Frodi stretched his lips in a smile. - It's been spun for a long time. It is kept in my father's office, but he must give it back on the day of majority, when they change my name. And it's not that soon. You get tired of waiting. I will be already twelve when my uncle, having gathered the whole family, will hand me the best and sharpest sword, a bracelet and will call my true name in front of everyone. Faster already.

“Wow,” I caught the end of the pigtail and twisted it around my finger. - And why is it bad for Frodi?

“This is the name my mother gave me, it is for a child, but not for a warrior,” he explained patiently. “But since you think I’m still small, then there won’t be a bracelet yet.

- Yes, you are big. Big ... - I agreed, I was now worried about something else. - So I will become the wife not of Frodi, but of someone else? - clasping her hands, she imagined the full scale of the tragedy. - Just think about it. And I already embroidered your name on a handkerchief! I came up with a pattern for each letter. Tried so many options. So what? Should I change everything now?!

“Why do I need a name on my scarf?” His eyebrow raised slightly.

- How is this why? Snorting, she shook her head. - It's a dowry. Dowry, Frodi! What could be more important. Both my sisters and I will each have a chest with tablecloths, towels, scarves. Is it so important! And you change your name... It's not fair. I tried, I drew patterns on the letters!

“You magicians are so funny,” this impossible boy laughed. — That I won’t buy fabric for my wife, or what? And towels?

- It is important! I clenched my hands into fists. “Every Lera must have a dowry!” Strict set of everything. A bedspread, pillows, scarves, sheets, white tablecloths, colored tablecloths... And so that Lera would embroider everything herself...

He just laughed louder.

Don't laugh, Frodi! Jumping to her feet, she put her hands on her hips. - Every girl magician from the age of five begins to prepare a dowry. Learn to sew, embroider, knit...

“You better learn to cook,” he didn’t let me list the entire list of what a lera should be able to do. — I love to eat.

- Oh, well, you! You do not understand anything. Wash up and change your clothes, you have a stain of dirt on your shirt!

He glanced down at his clothes and lifted his chin in contentment. As if there was something to be proud of.

“I practiced my swords at dawn, Alicia. And then he ran to you. And in general, I will train in the evening. Here before going to bed and climb into the tub. Maybe if mother will drive ...

Woo, slut!

Taking a deep breath, I raised my eyes to the clear sky.

Well, what about them, with the boys, to be? They walk like dirty pigs and say something else about culture.

Unthinkable!

“My dad always scolds my brother if he sees at least a spot on his clothes,” I said in a stern tone and again defiantly shot a look at his light shirt.

- Well, he's stupid, - Frodi couldn't get through. - A man should grow up strong, not handsome! Your brother is all pomaded. Frail. What kind of warrior will turn out from this neat guy? Yes, none? Although... No, it will be beautiful and perfumed. All enemies on the battlefield will be struck by the smell of his combed hair to one side. They will gasp and fall to their knees, subdued by the wondrous sight of his chain mail polished to a mirror shine. They will lay down their swords and be ashamed, looking at the spots on the battle armor. What a disgrace!

“Frodi,” I shook my fist. “My brother is a future lerd!” He doesn't have to fight. Its purpose...

- ... bathe in flower baths, - laughed this ... dirty.

- Not! - Sniffing, I tried to speak like our housekeeper: loudly, importantly and drawing out words. “A lord must set an example for his subjects. His appearance is impeccable. Manners polished...

“Then we will easily defeat you,” this insufferable boy interrupted me again. “We must be taken with a sharpened blade, not with manners. But you're right, your dad is not a sword master!

- He's a mage! My nostrils flared in outrage. “My father is the wisest and strongest. He's an airbender, just like me!

“Well, no, I’m the elemental magician here!”