"Kerr, Katharine - Westlands 02 - A Time Of War v1.1" - читать интересную книгу автора (Dragon Stories)

After a few hundred yards she dismounted again, because in that twisting maze, cluttered with townsfolk hurrying about their business, leading a horse was much easier than riding one. By travelling as straight downhill as the streets would let her she eventually found the South Gate, and there luck tossed her a fine roll of dice. Some twenty feet inside the gate a wagon had overturned with a spew of turnips. Teamster, townsfolk and guards alike were clustering round, yelling at one another about the best way to get it righted. Carra mounted, urged Gwer to a trot, and was out and gone before anyone noticed the lad on the buckskin horse.
As soon as she was well clear, she kicked Gwer to a canter, turning off the road and heading to the west, riding randomly, and singing as she rode in the warm summer sun. Because of the sun, and because Gwer hadnТt been getting the exercise he needed, she soon slowed him to a walk. They ambled through the meadows round Cengarn, ending up due west of the town, resting there to let Gwer cool down and Carra look up at the cliffs and the impressive dun above, then rode on to the trees that lined the little stream. She dismounted to let Gwer drink, stood beside him while he did and simply watched the water flow in the dappled shade. For a few moments she was no longer a married woman and a princess, and that was all, truly, that sheТd wanted - a few momentsТ respite.
СI donТt want to go back )ust yet,Т she remarked to Gwerlas. This really is silly of me, but oh, it feels so wonderful, to not be anything for a while, just me again. And besides, itТs a good jest, slipping out on everyone like that.Т
He snorted, tossing drops from his muzzle.
СWe should have brought Lightning, too. HeТd have liked this, getting free of the dun. Oh!Т
All at once her heart sank. As soon as they noticed she was gone, theyТd be right on her trail to fetch her back, because Lightning would lead them straight to her. SheТd forgotten about that, when sheТd carelessly left him behind. Unless - she could remember what the heroes always did in the bard songs, when their belovedТs husband or some other enemy was hunting them down. She knelt, tested the water, and found it cold but not dangerously so to a horseТs legs.
СIt might work. Look, Gwer, the streamТs really shallow, and itТs nice and sandy on the bottom, so you wonТt slip or suchlike.Т
She mounted, urged him into the ford, and after a brief momentТs argument got him to start picking his way upstream, heading roughly north They were hidden, too, by the corridor of trees hugging the banks, so that none of the cowherds from the nearby farm even saw her as she rode past without leaving a scent that a dog could follow
Rhodry was sitting in the great hall, drinking with Yraen over on the ridersТ side, when Prince Daralantenel came racing in from the ward In a towering panic he rushed right by the gwerbret and the table of honour, ran cursing through the crowd and finally fetched up at Rho-dryТs side
СCarraТs gone!Т he burst out in Elvish СIТve looked all over for her Her dogТs here, but her horse is gone from the stable;. С
All the men near slewed round to stare at this foreign outburst Swearing in two languages Rhodry swung himself clear of the bench and stood
СTell the gwerbret! WeТll get every man in this dun out scouring the countryside for her By the Dark Sun herself, Your Highness, who knows whatТs out there, waiting for a chance at her!Т
Dar made a keening sound deep in his throat, then turned and ran back to the puzzled lords, who had all risen from their chairs to stare at his untidy progress through the hall Every other person in it was whispering in a buzzing tide of speculation Rhodry translated OarТs tale for the other riders, started to give Yraen an order, then stopped in sheer surprise His friend had gone dead pale
СDo you know somewhat about this?Т Rhodry snapped
СWhat? Not in the least What do you mean?Т Yraen hauled himself to his feet СIТm just - well, worried, thatТs all С
Terrified was more like it For a moment Rhodry flirted with the implausible idea that Yraen might be a traitor, then the obvious occurred.
СYe gods!Т he hissed СAnd a fine choice of a woman to fall in love withТ She couldnТt get much more above you.Т
Yraen swore and hit him in the ribs so hard that it hurt. Rhodry laughed, but under his breath to keep the others from hearing
СNo time to discuss the proprieties now,Т Rhodry said СGo saddle our horses, will you? IТm going to stick right close to Lord Matyc in this hunt You do the same С
Yet in the event, Rhodry and Yraen ended up separated, simply because not even one of the gods could organize a search party of over two hundred men without some confusion Rhodry suspected, in fact, that Yraen had slipped away from him to avoid awkward questions He reminded himself that tormenting a man like Yraen about a hopeless love affair was as much dangerous as cruel and put the matter firmly out of his mind
When the search parties left the town, Rhodry simply joined Lord MatycТs men without waiting to be asked Just in case Matyc took this chance to arrange some kind of accident for the princess, he was determined to be near enough to stop it
While Carra may have been headstrong at times, she was never stupid Even as she plotted a careful route from stream to thicket to rocks to stream again, she made sure that she kept the towers of the town always in view and close in case she needed to make a strong gallop back to safety With his bloodlines Gwerlas could no doubt have outrun most of the horses in the entire province if heТd had to, to make sure, she rested him often.
When she first heard the hunting horns blowing, she was riding well to the east of Cengarn down a little lane between two ploughed fields She rose in the stirrups, cocking her head to listen just as they came again - a lot of horns, spreading out from the direction of the dun \t first she wondered why the men would start a hunt so late in the day, then she realized that Dar must have called out the warbands to look for her Her pleasure at her joke turned sour.
СTheyТre all going to be furious.Т
Gwer snorted with a toss of his head
It occurred to her that if she could stay undiscovered long enough, she might be able to cut round behind them and slip back inside unseen, where she could, perhaps, pretend sheТd never left She might have fallen asleep in one of the gardens, perhaps, where Dar might not have thought to look for her It was. worth a try She turned back the way sheТd come and began retracing her circuitous route, from cow shed to stream to thicket to duck pond, spiralling in toward the city gates Although she heard horns and even saw, at a great distance, horseman galloping by, no one ever came her way.
When she was in sight of the South Gate, she paused, rising in the stirrups to peer at the walled town, marching up its hills and looming over her She could just pick out the tiny figures of guards, pacing back and forth The East Gate, she decided, would offer her best chance of getting in unseen, simply because it was narrow and old, opening onto a little-used track that existed for the convenience of cowherds and farmers come to market with produce Sure enough, when she approached the town from the east, she saw no one at the gates, neither standing watch nor loitering.
СGood,Т she remarked to Gwerlas. The hard part, though, is going to be getting back through the dun gates. Well, one thing at a time.Т
She dismounted and led the horse in. The wall here stood a good ten feet thick, and the СgateТ was more a tunnel with a stout oak and iron-bound door standing half-open at the far end. As they hurried through, heading for the sunlight and the town, she passed big piles of rocks, stockpiled to clog the opening in case of an attack. Just as she led Gwerlas out into the dusty street, a man stepped in front of her. She screamed aloud when he grabbed her arm, but it was only Yraen, snarling as he barred her way.
СI thought so,Т he snapped. СIf you were clever enough to get out, I figured you were clever enough to try to get back in and pretend naught had ever happened.Т
СYou let me go! IТm a princess now, and youТre supposed to be humble round me.Т
СDonТt you realize what a scare youТve given us all? Ye gods!Т He gave her arm a shake. СYou could have been killed, riding out on your own.Т
СI was safe enough. I made sure of that.Т
СHah! You without even a table dagger in your belt! And with all this talk of shapechangers riding the winds and evil spirits under every bush and stile! Are you daft?Т
СAll I wanted was to be alone for just a little while. You donТt know what itТs like, being shut up like a prized mare, never getting to do anything without half the court following you round.Т
At that he let her go.
СWell, I do know, as a matter of fact. But ye gods, Carra! I mean, Princess, Your Highness - youТre right. My apologies. I forget myself.Т
СWell, itТs hard to remember to be formal and all that when we nearly got ourselves killed together.Т
Yraen nodded, looking absently away.
СSo we did, so we did. Here, mount up, will you? And IТll lead your horse back for you.Т
СI can walk, thank you very much.Т
СYe gods, donТt come over all haughty on me, will you? Get on your wretched horse before I put you on him.Т
СJust try.Т Carra set her hands on her hips.
For a moment they glared at each other.
СWell, I donТt suppose your husband would take it kindly if I did lay hands on you. Walk if you want to.Т
Yraen turned on his heel and strode off toward the dun. Grabbing GwerТs reins, Carra followed, keeping his broad back in sight as he found them a path through the round houses and looping alleyways that led this way and that but always uphill. Finally she could stand it no longer.
СYraen, donТt be a rotten beast, will you? IТm sorry.Т
He stopped and let her catch up with him.
СIТll escort you back,Т he said. Then IТd best ride out after the others and tell them youТre safe.Т
СWell, truly, thatТs a good idea. Or I can find my own way back.Т She grinned at him. СI found my way out, didnТt I?Т