"Kerr, Katharine - Deverry 01 - Daggerspell v1.1" - читать интересную книгу автора (Dragon Stories)

CullynТs lips twitched in a brief smile.
УI was, truly,Ф he said. УA long time ago your old Da here was a rider in a warband in Cerrmor, and he got himself into a good bit of trouble. Never dishonor yourself, Jill. You listen to me. Dishonor sticks closer to you than blood on your hands. So my lord kicked me out, as he had every right to do, and there was nothing left for me but the long road.Ф
УThe what?Ф
УThe long road. ThatТs what silver daggers call our life.Ф
УBut Da, what did you do?Ф
Cullyn turned to look at her with eyes so cold that Jill was afraid he was going to slap her.
УWhen youТre done eating,Ф he said mildly. УWeТre going to the market fair and buy you some ladТs clothes. Dresses arenТt any good for riding and camping by the road.Ф
And Jill realized that she would never have the courage to ask him that question again.
Cullyn was as good as his word about the new clothes. In fact, he bought her so many things, boots, brigga, shirts, a good wool cloak and a small ring brooch to clasp it with that Jill realized sheТd never seen him with so much money before, real coins, all of them bright-minted silver. When she asked him about it, Cullyn told her that heТd captured a great lordТs son on the field of battle, and that this money was the ransom the lordТs family had to pay him to get their son back.
УThat was honorable, Da,Ф Jill said. УNot killing him, I mean, and then letting him go home.Ф
УHonorable?Ф Cullyn smiled faintly. УIТll tell you, my sweet, itТs every silver daggerТs dream to capture a lord single-handedly. ItТs the coin you want, not the glory. And by the hells, many a poor lordling has made himself a rich lord doing the same thing.Ф
Jill was honestly shocked. Taking someone prisoner for profit was one of those things that never got mentioned in the bard songs and the glorious tales of war. She was glad enough of the coin, however, especially when Cullyn bought her a pony, a slender gray that she named Gwindyc after the great hero of ancient times. When they returned to the inn, Cullyn took Jill up to their chamber, made her change her clothes, then unceremoniously cropped off her hair like a ladТs with his silver dagger.
УThat long hairТs too messy for the road,Ф he said. УCursed if IТll spend my time combing it for you like a nursemaid.Ф
Jill supposed that he was right, but when she looked at herself in the bit of mirror, she felt that she no longer really knew who she was. The feeling persisted when they went down to the tavern room of the inn for the noon meal. She felt that she should get up and help Blaer the innkeep serve, not sit there and eat stew with the other customers. Because it was market day, the tavern was crowded with merchants, who all wore checked brigga as a sign of their station. They looked Cullyn over with a shudder for the silver dagger in his belt and gave him as wide a berth as possible.
Jill was just finishing her stew when three young riders from a warband swaggered in and demanded ale. Jill knew they were a lordТs riders because their shirts had embroidered blazons, running stags in this case, on the yokes. They stood right in the way near the door and kept Blaer so busy that when Cullyn wanted more ale, he had to get up and fetch it himself. As he was coming back with the full tankard, he had to pass the three riders. One of them stepped forward and deliberately jogged CullynТs arm, making him spill the ale.
УWatch your step,Ф the rider sneered. УSilver dagger.Ф
Cullyn set the tankard down and turned to face him. Jill climbed up on the table so she could see. Grinning, the other two riders moved back to the wall to leave a clear space around Cullyn and their fellow.
УAre you looking for a fight?Ф Cullyn said.
УJust looking to make a lout of a silver dagger mind his manners,Ф the rider said. УWhatТs your name, scum?Ф
УCullyn of Cerrmor. And whatТs it to you?Ф
The room went dead silent as every man in it turned to stare. The other two riders laid urgent hands on their friendТs shoulders.
УCome along, Gruffidd,Ф one of them said. УJust drink your cursed ale. YouТre a bit young to die.Ф
УGet away,Ф Gruffidd snarled. УAre you calling me a coward?Ф
УCalling you a fool,Ф the rider said, glancing at Cullyn. УHere, our apologies.Ф
УDonТt you apologize for me,Ф Gruffidd said. УI donТt give a pigТs fart if heТs the Lord of Hell! Listen, silver dagger, not half of those tales about you can be true.Ф
УIndeed?Ф Cullyn laid his hand on his sword hilt.
It seemed that the whole room gasped, even the walls. Jill clasped her hands over her mouth to keep from screaming. Frightened men moved back and away, leaving Cullyn and Gruffidd facing each other.
УHere!Ф Blaer yelped. УNot in my inn!Ф
Too lateЧGruffidd drew his sword. With a sour smile, Cullyn drew his own, but he let the blade trail lazily in his hand with the point near the floor. The room was so quiet that Jill heard her heart pounding. Gruffidd moved and struckЧthe sword went flying out of his hand. Across the room men yelped and dodged as the sword fell clattering to the floor. Cullyn had his blade raised, but casually, as if he were only using it to point out something. There was a smear of blood on it. Cursing under his breath, Gruffidd clutched his right wrist with his left hand. Blood welled between his fingers.
УI call you all to witness that he struck first,Ф Cullyn said mildly.
The room broke into excited whispers as GruffiddТs friends dragged him away. Blaer hurried after them, quite pale and carrying the riderТs sword. Cullyn wiped the blood off his sword on his brigga leg, sheathed it, then picked up his tankard and came back to the table.
УJill, get down!Ф he snapped. УWhereТs your courtesy?Ф
УI just wanted to see, Da,Ф Jill said as she scrambled down. УThat was splendid. I never even saw you move.Ф
УNeither did he. Well, Jill, IТm going to drink this ale, and then weТll be packing up and getting on the road.Ф
УI thought we were going to stay here tonight.Ф
УWe were.Ф
All a-flutter, Blaer ran over to them.
УBy the hells,Ф Blaer said. УHow often does this sort of thing happen to you?Ф
УFar too often,Ф Cullyn said. УThese young dogs would count it an honor to be the man who killed Cullyn of Cerrmor.Ф He had a long swallow of ale. УSo far all theyТve won for their trouble is a broken wrist, but by the hells, it wearies me.Ф
УSo it must.Ф Blaer shuddered as if he were cold. УWell, lass, itТs a strange life youТre going to lead, riding with him. YouТll make some man a cursed strange wife someday, too.Ф
УIТll never marry a man who isnТt as great a swordsman as my Da,Ф Jill said. УSo probably IТll never marry at all.Ф
That afternoon they rode fast and steadily, finally stopping about an hour before sunset when Cullyn judged that they were far enough away from GruffiddТs warband. They found a farmer who let them camp in a corner of his pasture and who sold them oats for CullynТs horse and the new pony. While Cullyn scrounged dead wood from the nearby forest for a fire, Jill put the horses on their tether ropes and staked them out. She had to stand on the head of the stakes and use her whole weight, but finally she forced them in. She was starting back to the camp when the gray gnome appeared, popping into reality in front of her and dancing up and down. With a laugh, Jill picked him up in her arms.
УYou did follow me! That gladdens my heart.Ф
The gnome gave her a gape-mouthed grin and put his arms around her neck. He felt dry, a little scaly to the touch, and smelled of freshly turned earth. Without thinking, Jill carried him back to camp and talked all the while about the things that had happened on the road. He listened solemnly, then suddenly twisted in her arms in alarm and pointed. Jill saw Cullyn, trotting back with a load of wood, and his eyes were narrow with exasperation. The gnome vanished.
УJill, by the gods!Ф Cullyn snapped. УWhat cursed strange kind of game or suchlike were you playing? Talking to yourself and pretending to carry something, I mean.Ф
УIt was naught, Da. Just a game.Ф
Cullyn dumped the wood onto the ground.
УI wonТt have it,Ф he snapped. УIt makes you look like a half-wit or suchlike, standing around talking to yourself. IТll buy you a doll if you want something to talk to that badly.Ф
УIТve got a doll, my thanks.Ф
УThen why donТt you talk to it?Ф