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

For a moment he kept his face expressionless, then slowly, as if he begrudged the effort, he smiled in return.
СIТve got to get a fresh horse anyway. Here, I really should be leading Gwer for you.Т
When he held out his hand, she gave him the reins, and they walked side-by-side when they went on. Carra never knew what to think of Yraen. Although he was technically a handsome man, he was as cold and hard as a steel blade in winter, occasionally smiling, rarely laughing, always, it seemed, on the edge of some great rage. Even Rhodry, with his wild berserker fits, seemed more human, more warm than Yracn ever did. As they plodded along, his silence began to get on her nerves.
СIТm still surprised you knew where to look for me,Т she said.
СI know what a sneak you can be, thatТs all. So I thought, well, if I wanted to slip back into a dun, what would I do? And so I waited at the East Gate, because thatТs the one I would have chosen, and lo! in you walked.Т
СA sneak! I do like that.Т
СWell, look at the clever way you plotted your escape from your brother. And I still donТt know how you worked on Rhodry, after you met us on the road, I mean, to get him to guard you for the journey here.Т
СI still donТt know, either. He was so odd, that night in that miserable little tavern where I met you both. He kept talking about his Lady Death, and how I was carrying his death with me. It made me feel awful, actually.Т
СDonТt take it to heart. HeТs talked that way for all the years IТve known him.Т Yraen sounded deeply aggrieved. СI donТt know why I keep riding with Rhodry, I truly donТt, but I always stay even when I get a chance to ride some other road.Т
СWell, I suppose that two silver daggers are safer than one. On the roads and suchlike, I mean.Т
СThatТs true, of course.Т
They had reached the top of the market hill, the second highest in Cengarn, and a vast open space, partly grass, partly cobbled, where on each full moon of spring and summer the town held a fair, although its real purpose was providing pasture for cattle during a siege. From its crest they could look across to the dun, rising dark and grim, towering over everything round it.
СOh, I hate to go back!Т Carra said with a dramatic sigh. СCouldnТt I run away with you, Yraen, and be a silver dagger?Т
She started to laugh at her own jest, but the look on his face stopped her. For one brief moment his heart lay open like a night sky, so that she could pick out every constellation of desire and grief and frustration. Then he turned away with a snort.
СAs if a skinny lass like you could ever learn to handle a sword!Т he snapped. СBesides, thereТs this small matter of your baby to consider.Т
СOh, I know.Т She could barely speak, desperately searched for some jest to cover her unconscious cruelty of the moment before. There was none. СAnd I have my place and all that. Yraen, IТm sorry.Т
He merely shrugged, staring across the little valley at the dun. For a few moments they stood together, wrapped in the misery of a revealed truth. Although Carra knew she was pretty, in her world beauty meant so much less than position and a good dowry that she had never thought of herself as desirable to men of her own kind. That Yraen would love her was completely unexpected, and more frightening than pleasing.
СIТm tired,Т she said at last. СCould you please lead Gwer and let me ride? You were right, back at the gate.Т
He smiled, briefly, and held the bridle while she mounted. During the rest of the trip back to the dun, neither of them said a word.
Although Carra had been hoping that she would somehow manage to slip past the women waiting for her in the great hall, her luck had left her for the day. As they walked through the gates, the guards shouted, calling out her name and cheering. Labanna, with the serving women and Jill right behind them, came racing out into the ward. Carra dismounted, bracing herself for the scolding of her life.
СMy dear child! What could you have been thinking of?Т Labanna started right in. СOf all the stupid, heartless ЧТ
СHush.Т Jill stepped in between them. Tour Grace, my lady, please. Will you leave her to me?Т
Labanna scowled, but she made the dweomermaster a small curtsy and retreated to the company of her ladies. When Jill laid a firm hand on her arm, Carra wished that she could faint or perhaps even die. She was never going to be able to work Jill round by being contrite and winsome the way sheТd planned to do with Labanna.
СCome up to your chamber with me, Carra,Т Jill said. СItТs time we had a little chat.Т She glanced at Yraen, still standing nearby. СAre you going to fetch the others?Т
СI am. Just going to get a fresh horse and find a hunting horn.Т
СGood. Tell Dar to come talk with me when you find him. Now. Carra, come along.Т
Feeling like a dog about to be whipped, Carra trailed along behind as Jill led the way up the spiral staircase. Once they were safely shut up in the chamber, Jill perched on the windowsill and motioned for Carra to sit down. She sat on the edge of the bed and wondered if she could pretend to faint - not and fool Jill, she supposed. For a moment the dweomermaster considered her with cold blue eyes that seemed to bore deep into her soul. All at once she laughed, a pleasant chuckle under her breath.
СGood for you,Т she said, still smiling. СI always knew you had spirit.Т
Carra felt herself goggling open-mouthed like some village halfwit.
СCarra, listen,Т Jill went on. СThings will be different once you and Dar get out on the grasslands with his people, very very different. Your life will have a much wider horizon there than any Deverry woman ever has here at home. Your lifeТs likely to become more than passing strange, mind, but restricted it will not be. Now, until then, you need to behave like a Devcrry woman. Can you understand that? I have naught but sympathy for you, lass, but thereТs no help for it. While you remain here in Deverry, youТve got to be the lady and the dutiful wife. Can you do that?Т
СOf course. HavenТt I been trained for it, all my life?Т
СGood.Т Jill smiled again. СBut remember my promise. I donТt know when you and Dar can return safely to his people. It might not even be till after the child is born. That depends on things that - well, on things, and some of them are matters of war. These are not the best of times, Carra.Т She stood up. СDonТt worry about Labanna and the other women. IТll tell them that youТve been properly scolded.Т
Jill left the chamber without another word, leaving Carra utterly confused. Yet, despite JillТs talk of war, she felt strangely cheered, thinking that some new and exciting life lay ahead of her. She rested for a while, then had a wash and changed her clothes. Although she had to summon all her courage to go to the womenТs hall, the other women made a great fuss over her, as if compensating for the terrible things Jill had said. Carra managed a few proper snivels for the look of the thing, but all in all, the matter was closed.
There remained her husband, of course. She was dreading his homecoming, but much to her surprise his reaction was similar to JillТs - a laugh and a certain sympathy. Once they were alone, he kissed her repeatedly, then sat her down in the single chair in their chamber while he paced back and forth. By then it was night, and in the glow of the candle lanterns his chiselled face seemed leaner than ever, picked out as it was by deep shadows.
СForgive me, my love,Т he said. СI thought that youТd want me to leave you be, here with the other women. IsnТt that what Deverry women expect from their lords?Т
СWell, most of them do, I suppose. Dar, your people must be very different than mine.Т
СWorlds and worlds different, my love, and I wish to every god of both our tribes that I could take you there straightaway. Life is cleaner out on the grasslands, clean and free and honest, not like here, all shut up in stone tents like animals in pens with the smell of filth hanging round everything. And everyoneТs always scheming and plotting and trying to get the gwerbret to like them best of all the lords and suchlike. Sometimes I want to heave, just sitting at that table with Matyc and Gwinardd and watching the fencing for favour going on between them. Truly I do.Т
His vehemence shocked her so much that she found nothing to say. He knelt beside her and caught her hand in both of his.
СForgive me, I donТt mean to insult your people.Т
СIТm not insulted, just surprised. I didnТt realize how much you hated it.Т
СThatТs why I hunt so much. To get away, out to the wild country.Т
СI wish youТd told me! I thought you didnТt love me any more.Т
He laughed, then kissed her hand, first the back, then the palm.
СThe gwerbretТs a decent man,Т he said. СBut he thinks of me as some kind of savage. HeТs been telling me how to treat you, you see, since youТre a civilized woman with civilized expectations and all that. And of course IТve been following his advice. Like a dolt. I thought youТd want me to.Т
Carra laughed and threw her arms round his neck to kiss him.
СWell, then,Т she said. СI must be a howling savage myself, because I fell in love with you long before you took the gwerbretТs lessons.Т
СGood.Т He sat back on his heels and looked away, his eyes pools of shadow. СBy the Dark Sun herself I wish we could just get out of here.Т
СWhy canТt we? WhatТs so wrong?Т
СA very great deal, my love. The Wise One talked with me when we returned.Т
СThe who?Т