In slightly upset feelings, Nialeeka went to her friend. After the usual departure of Silben and his crew onto the next voyage, Nialeeka became sad, and she decided to stay with Zira for a while.

She and Zira, as far as they remember, were friends, understood each other perfectly. Girls often visited each other, so no one was surprised anymore that Nialeeka came to live with her friend for a while and vice versa. The families were close.

Zira's mother treated the beautiful young girl with blond and slightly curly hair as her daughter. Zira's brothers had long taken care of Nialeeka as their own sister. Nialeeka's parents had no sons, but Scord, Raden, Attyon, and little Gere were like real brothers to her. Athorn also became friends with them very quickly.

Nialeeka hasn't seen brothers at all today, so she assumed that they went on an errand to some other place. She heard somewhere that they'll soon leave the village.

Scord and Raden were about to sail with their father, Phelan. They stubbornly kept the details of the voyage a secret. However, they promised to bring the girls presents from the places where they will be.

The third brother, Attyon, was about to study with a visiting scholar. That scholar was a marvel of River Valley. No one knew who is he or where he is from. Zira was curious, but Nialeeka didn't want to bother.

Zira's house was not so far from her own. In this stone house with a large yard, life was always in full swing. People regularly came and went.

Unlike her home, which has grown up-high, the house of the Zira family has grown in breadth. Here and there, sprouted new stone buildings. It became the big estate, spread over a relatively large area. Some buildings had a superstructure on the second floor.

In this house, Zira's mother, Aila, ruled everyone. Phelan himself was in constant travelling, so Aila got used to the absence of her husband and managed the house perfectly. When her eldest son grew up, she gave him some responsibilities over his father's work.

Even though Silben and Aila spent so much time apart, they cherished every minute spent together and taught the same to their children.

Their eldest son, Scord, is about nineteen years old, and he lives separately. He has already married, and soon he will become a father. He is an exact copy of his father.

The second and third brothers Raden and Attyon are now fifteen and fourteen years old respectively. Why is it worth mentioning them at the same time? Firstly, because they go together like salt and pepper. Secondly, because they are diametrically different. One cocky and assertive, the other with all his appearance and character resembled a scholar. However, they understand each other perfectly and prefer to spend time together.

The youngest brother, Gere, was about three years old. He has just begun to comprehend this world.

By the way, the girls themselves, Zira and Nialeeka were about twelve years old, while the latter was a little older. And Athorn will turn fourteen this summer.

Before Nialeeka entered the gate, the two Zira's brothers swept past her. They were Raden and Attyon. They angered someone well and weren't going to repent at all. Laughing, they grinned at Nialeeka and disappeared behind the trees.

She went further along a tampered road and soon came across their eldest brother, Scord. He was furious and held a wooden sword and a whip in his hands. Nialeeka really wanted to ask, but she did not dare.

She stopped. Scord also slowed down and frowned when he saw how Nialeeka hides a half-smile. He glanced toward the distant trees and again shot a look at Nialeeka. She nodded slowly. The elder brother smiled, but Nialeeka was slightly trembling from fear looking at that smile.

He went after the brothers. Nialeeka silently wished them good luck, watching how slowly and inexorably Scord followed them.

Near the main building, she saw a group of women fussily approaching the house. These were friends of Zira's mother who came to visit. Women from neighbouring families came to stay a bit. Aila, the mistress of this house, opened the doors for them, greeted them warmly, and let them in. Nialeeka waved her hand, and she smiled back.

"Have you seen where the eldest went?" She asked.

Nialeeka laughed. "After the brothers."

Mother frowned. There was no need to add anything else. The eldest is hard-fisted, and no matter how good his brothers at hiding, they always fall into a snare.

“He will be back soon,” the girl smiled.

Mother waved her hand and disappeared into the house, occupied with the guests.

Nialeeka went on. She strolled around the house, and passing the entrance to the kitchen, she took a couple of mushroom patties.

On such a beautiful late-spring day, Zira could not sit at home, thought Nialeeka, and instead of going into the house, she headed to the garden. There is a place where tables and benches stand in the summer amidst fruit trees. She found Zira at the centre of the garden sitting at the table. She was embroidering a handkerchief. Nialeeka came close and silently handed her a patty.

"Thank you," Zira answered gloomily.

"Why are you sad?" Nialeeka sat on the opposite bench at the table.

"Mom thinks I'm too boyish," the even stitches lay on the fabric, weaving a bewitching pattern. Over the years, Zira's embroidery skills have reached astounding heights.

"Don't tell me that you again escaped with your brothers to the ship," Nialeeka narrowed his eyes.

"If that were the case, I would not be sitting here. I would be..."

"Upstairs in the crow's nest."

"Upstairs in the crow's nest," Zira repeated sadly. "But no, according to mother, the girls should sit at home, wait for brothers and husbands, and manage the household. Bo-o-oring!"

Nialeeka had nothing against it. On the contrary, she dreamed of such a life. Thoughts flashed through her head - if only the one she would be waiting at home was him...

“They never let me go with them,” Zira never stopped embroidering, and her voice never went astray, as if the sorrows she spoke of had nothing to do with her.

“How are you doing with the sword?”

Nialeeka thought that if Zira's parents knew that she could protect herself, then maybe someday her father will take Zira with him.

Zira looked at her irritably.

"A wishful thinking!"

Nialeeka could not resist and laughed. This face is a hallmark of this family. Zira's father and eldest brother could shut the crowd of sailors on the ship at one glance. But in Zira's case... It looked cute.

Girls habitually settled on benches. One continued to embroider, while the second basked in the sunshine, peering through the foliage, comfortably laying down on a bench. She had a pillow under her head.

"You knew that I would come."

Otherwise, you wouldn't have brought the pillow.

"I hoped."

"Give me that patty," Nialeeka pointed to the bun untouched by Zira. She silently threw it to Nialeeka.

"Spill it."

Zira finally smiled. His eyes flashed. She was getting ready to tell Nialeeka something interesting. She quickly looked around, as if behind apple trees and plum trees someone could hide and eavesdrop on the girl's conversations.

"Dad and the eldest are going to another expedition!"

Nialeeka was not surprised.

"They direct ships outside the Valley every year. It's hard to call this news. Since they got these ships, they have not been seen here most of the year. They appear only to the first cold weather, with overgrown beards like vagabonds.

"But with presents and rarities," Zira added reluctantly.

She shook her head, not at all surprised by the reaction of Nialeeka.

"This time, it is something else. Now our fathers aren't going to trade."

That's already interesting. Are they going to rob someplace? It was hard for Nialeeka to believe that Phelan could have done that.

"Recently, I heard the brothers decide among themselves who would go with their father," she paused and blurted out: "Don't let them know that you know that! Otherwise, they will surely find out I spied on them."

Before telling her secret, Zira strictly said Nialeeka to be silent and not to let anyone know that she knew everything.

According to Zira, on the way back from distant seas on the approaches to the Outpost, the Phelan's ship caught up one small high-speed vessel. Its captain managed to convince Phelan with his sincerity and successfully insist on having a conversation. It turned out that that person knew Phelan and his and his friend Silben's reputation that went far ahead.

That man proposed a partnership.

"Why did that man decide to meet at sea, and not in Outpost?" got interested in Nialeeka.

"Caught up and asked... What's up with this... Ah-h... Another stitch..."

Nialeeka squinted at the cloth in Zira's hands.

Her friend definitely succeeded in embroidering river landscapes.

"I am wondering why that person didn't contact your father. He runs us all."

Nialeeka was silent. Actually, it was of little interest to her.

"So what did he want?"

What the deal supposed to be, Zira did not know. But she was sure it had something to do with helping that man to find a way through swamps. Also, Phelan had to assist when they get to their destination.

Phelan was required ships, people, guides and provisions. That person offered his information obtained somewhere far outside the Valley, in other countries, and the initial capital. This adventure promises a lot of revenue, so Zira's father at first was somewhat suspicious of the proposal. And only after talking with Silben he decided to agree. That was a few months ago. The final preparations are now underway, and soon they should set off.

"In the place of my father, I would not trust him! Scoundrel! Come on!" exclaimed Zira, but continued quieter: "Papa suspects that this is a catch, but at the same time says that this could turn out to be a big win."

Nialeeka didn't care how much they could make on this expedition, as long as everyone returned home unscathed. She anxiously looked at her friend.

"What do you think, Zira?"

The girl, hearing Nialeeka's unusually serious question, looked up at her.

After a pause for half a second, she blurted out instantly.

"I would agree immediately."

"What?"

"Exactly."

"But why? It's so dangerous. To lead a stranger into uncharted areas of the Valley..."

"...where the fairway changes after every rain and several times. Yeah."

"Why?" Asked Nialeeka.

"That's life. Every moment must be appreciated. And if life gives you a chance, grab it!"

"I understand. Your flair speaks up again."

"I know that dad and brothers will succeed in everything that they are planning now." Zira's eyes were shining with confidence. "Therefore, I don't worry about them at all. And I incredibly want to go with them! What do you think, what face will make mom when she sees me waving to her from the stern?"

"If."

"What 'if'?'

"Not 'when', but 'if'."

"Screw you."

"Back at you. Mom will immediately catch up with you."

Nialeeka watched as Zira stuck a needle into the embroidery on an innocent handkerchief with precision and frenzy.

"How about I suggest your mother give you not a handkerchief to embroider, but a tapestry?" as if nothing had happened, asked Nialeeka.

Zira threw a yarn in her direction.