up with the Turks who had taken Varvara away and escort her to Akhmet's house. At least this is what the Angel had explained to the cousins. Ben didn't quite understand so he asked the Angel again:
“Are you sure we need to escort Varvara and not save her from the Turks?”
It was then that the Angel explained that under no circumstances were they to change the life that Varvara had lived. Their task was to do everything in their power to ensure that neither Varvara nor her parents suffered too greatly from the separation or fell into too great a despair. When a person falls into such a condition there can be very serious consequences, not only for them but for subsequent generations.
“Why?” Michael blurted out.
“Because when people are like that they are at their most vulnerable to their spiritual enemies,” explained the Angel. “Did you at least manage to get a bite to eat in the village? Here is a bit of food which will serve you until you catch up with the detachment of Turks.”
The boys’ rested, fed and watered horses were waiting for them. The Angel gave them precise instructions about where they needed to go in order to overtake the Turkish caravan. Thus the cousins set off in pursuit of the Turks.
They rode invisibly and in silence, everything was going very well until they reached the Dniester where a large number of people on horseback and foot were trying to cross the river. Some were trying to get on to the boats, while others were fighting to get onto the rafts. The boys were unable to get a raft for themselves so they had to get on to one with fewer riders and more space for them to remain unnoticed. But then a minor mishap took place. As soon as the cousins got on to the raft it became invisible. The people on the raft began to panic because it appeared to them that the timbers had vanished under their feet but yet they were still floating on the water. Michael and Ben immediately jumped up onto their horses and in the same instant everyone on board could see and feel the raft under their feet. It was already getting late and everyone assumed that the disappearance of the raft must have been a trick of the light. However, it was extremely difficult to keep their balance on their horses as they were bucked and buffeted by the stormy river's waves and the boys along with their horses soon found themselves overboard swimming for the shore with their mounts. Fortunately however they were not far from the shore and soon reached dry land. Everyone on board the raft was amazed at the strange sight and sounds that greeted them: they could hear the neighing of horses, the splashing of water and they barely kept their balance the raft rocked so much. Michael and Ben’s horses successfully climbed out on to the other bank and the lads carried on their way.
Dusk closed in and the cousins stopped at a village for the night. They learned from one of the village women that the Turks had passed through quite recently and that their raid had been unsuccessful with only one captive for all their pains. Therefore the boys got up at the crack of dawn to gallop off in pursuit of the Turks. They caught up with them at the next village. However, Akhmet and Varvara had joined up with an even bigger military wagon train. It turned out that this was the Grand Vizier’s train, the very same Vizier who had married Akhmet’s sister. And he had invited Akhmet to join his wagon train. Needless to say, the boys were not best pleased to hear this news. Firstly, how were they to find them and at the same time remain undiscovered? And secondly, how were they now going to help and support Varvara? There was nothing for it but to look for Akhmet and Varvara. Thus, the boys travelled from one village to another and thanks to the fact, the people of Bukovyna spoke Ukrainian they were finally able to discover the Turks’ military camp.
The Turks had chosen a spot next to the village to make camp. Night was approaching and the camp was quiet. Akhmet had taken Varvara to one of the houses in the village but had returned to the camp himself. Left on her own Varvara devised her own escape plan. But, of course, without help she wouldn't be able to get anywhere. Where was she going to get this help? The Turk who was protecting her was evidently not a bad man. But why was he behaving like this and what did he have in mind? Oh Lord! How frightening it was so far away from her family and where was fate leading her? The cousins were thinking much the same thoughts as her. They were very sorry for the poor girl. Why couldn’t they return her to her family?
They would happily have tried…
“Maybe we can try and persuade the Angel to change his mind," asked Ben.
“As far as I understand, this all happened so long ago that this young girl’s life has long since passed. Therefore it would be wrong to change its course too dramatically,” replied Michael sadly.
The boys were standing by the window, totally invisible to any passer-by. Suddenly, several very unusual looking men ran past with rifles in their hands. Their dark clothing hugged their bodies and they had scarves tied around their heads like pirates. Silently, they took out the sentries with a single knife blow, which they then wiped clean on their boot straps. Who could they be? And then the cousins heard a language very similar to their own Bulgarian. Of course, these must be Serbs! The lads knew that of all the peoples of the Balkans the Turks feared the Serbs most. They were extremely brave and proud of their freedom. There was no way that they could reconcile themselves to the Turkish occupation of their lands. The Serbs often attacked the Turks’ military camps and fought like lions in open battle. Michael and Ben had learned all this from the tales the Cossacks had told among themselves when together they had fought off the Turkish raid. Although the Serbs were enemies of the Turks, the boys decided that Varvara's safety had to come first and that meant warning the Turks of the danger. But first they would have to get Varvara out of harm’s way. Ben grabbed the girl by the hand and headed for the nearest exit. In an instant she also became invisible. In the meantime, Michael grabbed one of the rifles that had belonged to one of the sentries. Together the three of them skirted the village's perimeter fence and Michael (who had always been good at technical things) worked out how the sixteenth century musket worked and began to shoot into the air. In an instant, the Turks were woken by the shots and quickly ran out of their tents with their rifles blazing. The Serb force was not a large one and when they realised they no longer had the advantage of surprise, quickly melted back into the darkness.
Varvara stood on the road totally unable to understand what was going. There didn’t seem to be anyone next to her, yet someone was holding her by her hand. In order not to frighten the girl more than necessary Ben let go of her hand. At that very moment Michael ran up and quietly explained what was going on. He let off another warning shot from the musket thus saving the peaceful villagers as well as the Turks from this unexpected attack. The moment Akhmet heard the first shot he grabbed his rifle and ran headlong to the house where he had left Varvara. When he found her missing he immediately set off in pursuit. He set off along the road to the North of the village because the Serbs had ridden off in the opposite direction. Soon he saw the girl standing in the middle of the road and involuntarily he let out a cry of joy. Varvara burst into tears, although the Turk had done nothing to offend her, her brief experience of freedom had seemed more valuable than anything. And at that very same moment the cousins decided to save Varvara. Having quickly conferred with each other, Michael grabbed her by the hand and immediately turned into a huge tree, while Ben turned into an enormous snake. The snake hissed menacingly and reared up ready to strike. But this was not going to stop Akhmet. He saw the girl sitting in the tree and immediately made for the snake with his sabre. Now it was Ben who was in danger. However, in the nick of time the tree’s branches began to whip the Turk as if they had been blown by a huge wind… Akhmet fell but was soon on his feet and hurling himself at the snake. What were they to do? In a moment the two cousins were standing in front of Akhmet in full view. Varvara was standing behind them, her eyes full of fear and amazement at this turn of events. She was so scared that she had even covered her face with her hands. A
khmet had been preparing himself to do battle with the snake but now it had somehow disappeared. And the tree, where was the tree? And now here was Varvara standing behind two strange looking young lads. Akhmet was at a complete loss and called to Varvara in Bulgarian:
“Come to me; don’t be afraid, I won’t hurt you. Don’t trust these strangers.”
Michael and Ben looked at each other in surprise – how did this Turk know Bulgarian? And then they remembered what the Angel had told them about Akhmet and that he wasn’t a Turk at all but a Bulgarian serving in the Turkish army. This meant that they would be able to explain everything. Ben nudged Michael and whispered:
“You tell them that we are here to help them both."
“No, no, it won’t work if I do it.”
At that moment their disagreement was interrupted by Akhmet:
“I don't need any help, but tell Varvara that there is no way back. Let her live with me for a while, and if she doesn’t like it I will take her home myself."
Varvara looked out from behind her hands and watched their conversation in complete amazement. It seemed