"Kerr, Katharine - Deverry 03 - Bristling Wood v1.1" - читать интересную книгу автора (Dragon Stories)

convoluted that it would be undetectable. It was likely, but at same
time, the dweomer warnings came to him in a coldness down his
back. Since the dark masters were so threatened, they would
doubtless strike back as soon as they could. The only question
was how.

And yet, other, more mundane matters demanded his attention as
well. The gwerbretrhyn was too rich, too desirable, to stay peaceful
if the line of succession should be broken. As much as he hated
involving himself in the schemings and feudings of noble clans,
Nevyn knew that his duty to RhodryТs dweomer-touched Wyrd also
imposed on him a duty to RhodryТs rhan and to his innocent
subjects, who preferred peace to war, unlike noble-born men like
Talidd. He would fight with every weapon he had to keep Aberwyn
safe. For all that Lovyan was skeptical about his political skills (and
he knew full well that she was), he was better armed for this fight
than any man in the kingdom, right down to the wisest of the high
kingТs councillors. Oh, I learned a trick or two that time, he thought
to himself, and our Rhodry was right in the middle of that little
mess, for all that he was a humble rider then, and an outlawed
man! Although it had been well over a hundred years ago now, he
knew what it was to battle for the throne of not merely a gwerbret,
but a king.



Part One
Deverry and Pyrdon,
833-845

When Dilly Blind went to the river, To see what he could see, He
found the King of Cerrmor A-washing his own laundry . . .

ЧOld Eldidd folk song

ONE

The Year 833. Slwmar II, king in Dun Deverry, received a bad
wound in battle. The second son of Glyn II, king in Cerrmor, died
stillborn. We took these as bad omens. Only later would we realize
that Bel in His wisdom was preparing peace for his people . . .

The Holy Chronicles of Lughcarn

The flies were the worst thing. It was bad enough to be dying, but
to have the flies so thick was an unjust indignity. They clustered
buzzing round the wound and tried to drink the blood. It hurt too
much to try to brush them away. The wound was on his right side,
just below the armpit, and deep. If someone could have stitched it
for him, Maddyn supposed, he might have lived, but since he was