"Bard's Tale 06 - Escape from Roksamur - Mark Shepherd UC" - читать интересную книгу автора (Bard's Tale)

him in, then."
The servant mumbled something unintelligible to
someone in the gallery, then a rider, wearing the uni-
form of the Suinomen army, entered and bowed gra-
ciously. He clutched a flat leather pouch and had
evidently shed certain parts of his uniform, no doubt
because of the heat, giving him a disheveled, road-
weary appearance. The Suinomese generally enjoyed
cool temperatures, even in the summer, and no doubt
the messenger had been sent without regard to dress.
"I beg forgiveness for my ignorance of your lan-
guage," the rider said, in a heavy, Suinomese drawl
that sounded rehearsed. "King Kainemonen has sent
word to you about your ambassador."
Derek's eyebrows raised. "Is that so," he said, taking
the pouch, but the rider only bowed. Apparently, these
were all the Althean words the messenger had memo-
rized; his look was blank as he handed the message
over.
King Derek carefully unfolded the parchment and
gazed down at it as if it were tinged with poison.
"Dear gods," Derek said softly, as his complexion
turned a horrid shade of gray.
Alaire was too tired to react; he remained seated,
holding the tankard, as the messenger remained stand-
ing, however nervously. The Bard recalled another time,
with another messenger, in another place far to the north,
when a message had led himself and his master,
Naitachal, on a rather eventful trip to the country of
Suinomen.
A trip I very nearly didn't return from, he reminded
himself, when I spent those terrible days, or weeks,
or moments, in the Prison of Souls. Alaire shuddered
at the memory. My dear mother, gods rest her soul,
is the only reason I escaped.
"Our ambassador to Suinomen, Sir Erikson, has been
assassinated," the King said woodenly as he collapsed
on his throne.
Alaire stood up, the tankard clattering to the tiled
floor. The messenger jumped at the sudden noise, then
bowed to Alaire in embarrassment. The Bard waited
several long moments for his brother to continue. "He
was stabbed to death in his sleep," Derek continued.
"What they have sent," he said, holding up the parch-
ment, "is an apology, as well as a statement that the
Suinomen government had nothing to do with it."
Then who did? Alaire wondered, but waited for
Derek to recover from the news.
"Is the message from Kainemonen himself?" Alaire
asked.