"Sara Douglass - The Axis Trilogy 1 - BattleAxe" - читать интересную книгу автора (Douglass Sara)

At the Foot of the Fortress Ranges
The two women sat closely together in the cold air, their plain woollen wraps
tight about their shoulders, watching the sky begin to lighten over the Fortress
Ranges. They had been sitting talking most of the night, and each knew they
would have to move soon so that the younger could be back in her bed
undiscovered by dawn.
The older woman turned her eyes from the sky. She had fine features, and
such incredibly thick and wavy hair that it threatened to break free of the pins
holding it protesting in its coil. From the widow's peak on her forehead a startling
swathe of gold, two-fingers wide, ran back through her silvery hair. She smiled
gently at the younger woman, who had risked a lot to meet her here tonight.
"You are very generous to offer to help us, my dear."
The younger woman looked at her companion. "You still do not trust me."
The older woman's eyes were as sooty-grey as the smoke from a damp
wood fire. They held as many sparks, too. "You understand the reasons for that,
surely."
The young woman sighed and rubbed her arms. "Yes. I do. But what can I
do to make you trust me? What?"
"Trust cannot be bought, or hurried. It always takes time."
"But you do not have time."
The silver-haired woman paused. "We've never had enough time, Azhure.
We have never had enough space. We have never had enough respect. And
though we need the help of people like you, we must remain wary."
Disappointed at the rebuff, Azhure turned and waved her hand towards the
distant village. "They hate anything they do not understand. It is the Way of the
Plough."
The older woman rested a hand on Azhure's arm comfortingly and said, her
voice filled with sadness, "I know, Azhure, I know."
"GoldFeather, you must trust me. Please! You desperately need help with
the children."
GoldFeather shook her head slowly, resigned. "No, Azhure. It is too late. The
only one that can save us from the Destroyer is lost and cannot be found. The
Sentinels do not yet walk the land and Tree Friend has yet to be found. Soon
winter comes. Ice will come to claim us. Tencendor cannot fight divided."
Her eyes glittered with tears. "You must return to your home before it is too
late. Sing well and fly high, Azhure, and may you find some kind of peace in this
most treeless of lands." She leaned forward and kissed Azhure's pale cheek.


In the Palace of the Kin Axis lay awake for another
hour after Embeth left, then, as the sky began to lighten towards dawn, cursed
silently and stood up. He still felt exhausted. He'd only had an hour or two of
sleep before the nightmare had claimed him and he'd needed a good eight or
nine after the hard ride.
He splashed himself with cold water to rid himself of the stale sweat of his
nightmare and dressed silently in the dark, not bothering to light a candle. He
dreaded what Jayme might tell him this morning.
Jayme was already up and at prayer when Axis slipped into his quarters. The
Brother-Leader was kneeling at the altar in his room, praying before an exquisite
silver and gold icon of Artor the Ploughman. Axis knelt quietly behind him and