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

СDa!Т Niffa snapped. СItТs needful that you let him go.Т
СCome now, my good sir,Т Meer said. СThe lore teaches that one of the fifty-two fixed things is this: when women lay down the law, men must do as weТre told,Т
Lael turned to him, utterly baffled by this statement, a gesture, of course, lost on the bard.
СHe does agree,Т Niffa broke in. СJahdo, come home now. WeТve got to get your gear ready.Т
Lael started to protest, then merely threw his hands in the air to reproach the gods and followed the two children as they hurried across the by-then empty plaza. When Jahdo looked back, he saw Demet running after as well. Standing where theyТd left them, Verrarc and the Gel da "Iliac conferred, heads together, while the rest of the town council hovered anxiously nearby.
The family spent a miserable evening round the central hearth, whete two candle lanterns stood, sending long shadows flickering on the walls. No one wanted a fire on such a muggy night. For a long time Dera and Lael paced back and forth, squabbling and cursing each other and the town council both while the family merely listened. Niffa and Demet sat on a wooden bench; Kiel leaned in the doorway and glowered; Jahdo scrunched into a corner with a ferret cradled in the crook of his arm for comfort. All at once he realized that his father was speaking to him.
СWhy? Why did you say you wanted to go?Т
Jahdo opened his mouth to answer only to find that he had no words. Although he tried his best to remember what had made him speak, the entire episode by the council fire had blurred in his mind into something much like a half-remembered dream.
СThe adventure of the thing, maybe?Т Lael said, softening his voice. СLad, lad, you can tell me.Т He crouched down to JahdoТs level. СWhat be wrong? Second thoughts?Т
Jahdo nodded. Lael let out his breath in a puff.
СToo late now, lad, to get out of it. You should have thought of this then. Ye gods, itТs not like we can spare you here. There be a passle of work, this time of year.Т
СLael?Т Demet broke in. СIf my sergeant does release me, IТll come take JahdoТs place.Т
Niffa gave him a brilliant smile that made him blush. Lael pretended not to notice.
СNow that be decent of you, lad,Т he said. СIТll speak to him myself. ItТs been many a long year since I served my turn in the militia, and I wouldnТt mind having someone good with a sword round the place.Т
СWhy, Da?Т Jahdo found his tongue at last.
СDonТt know.Т Lael hesitated, suddenly uneasy. СItТs just that somewhat be wrong. I can feel it, like,Т
СEverything be wrong.Т Dera began to weep. СJahdo, Jahdo! Naught will ever be right again.Т
Jahdo clutched Ambo so tight that the ferret whipped his head round and nipped his wrist, then slithered free and dashed for the other room, fahdo stood up.
СMam, donТt be crying! Please! ItТs needful that I do this.Т He felt as if he were struggling to open a locked door, shoving and pushing and banging against some huge expanse of solid oak, but he simply could not voice the truth, that heТd never wanted to agree.
СYou could at least tell your mother why,Т Lael snapped.
The entire family was staring at him, waiting for him to speak.
СI canТt. I donТt know why. I canТt say it.Т
Lael sighed and threw his hands into the air.
СTo think that a son of mine!Т he snapped. СYc gods!Т
СDa!Т Niffa came to JahdoТs rescue. СLeave it be. ThereТs no help for it now, anyway, no matter what the reason.Т
Dera wiped her eyes on a bit of rag and nodded agreement.
СAnd IТll say one thing for that Gel daТThae bard,Т she snarled. СHeТs got some respect for a motherТs heart, not like our Verro. Here IТve known him since he was a tiny lad, a pitiful little thing with that rotten father of his, and me the only woman in this town whoТd stand up to old Renno, at that, and tell him to keep his belt off his ladТs back. To think heТd treat one of mine this way now that heТs made his way in the world!Т
Jahdo tried to speak so hard that he began to tremble, but words would not come. Dimly he remembered that Verrarc had somehow or other spared his life, but he could not tell his mother, could not find one word.
СNow here, the lad be exhausted,Т Demet said. СLael, a dropped plateТs past mending, isnТt it? Might as well let Jahdo get his sleep. HeТll need itТ
Jahdo decided that as prospective brothers-in-law went, Demet had a lot to recommend him. Before his parents could start in on him again, he retreated to the bedchamber.
Although Jahdo was sure that heТd never fall asleep, suddenly it was dawn. Wrapped in their blankets, Kiel and Niffa were sleeping nearby; the ferrets lay tumbled in pairs and threes in their straw. Jahdo got up, considered waking everyone, then decided that he could never bear to say goodbye. The night before, heТd gathered into a sack his few pieces of extra clothing, along with his winter cloak and the bone-handled knife his grandfather had given him, and put the lot by the front door. He dressed, pulled on his heaviest pair of boots, and slipped out of the chamber, tiptoeing past his parentsТ bed. At the door he stopped, looking out into the grey light brightening on the passageway outside. If he turned round for a last look at home, he would cry. He grabbed his sack and hurried out.
He slithered down the passageway, climbed down the ladder, bolted into the wider street, and nearly collided with Councilman Verrarc. In the rising light Verrarc looked ill - that was the only word Jahdo had for it, anyway. His skin was dead-pale, and his eyes seemed huge, sunk in the puffy shadow of dark circles. Behind him stood two guards, armed, wearing chain mail shirts under the loose red tabards that marked them as servants of the Council of Five. Even though his family knew their families, Jahdo saw them as jailors.
"There he is,Т Verrarc sang out, and he was making some attempt at a smile. СJahdo, the council does send its official thanks. Do you realize what that means? By taking up this burden of the treaty bond, you do work for everybody Ч the town, the council, your family -everybody. Why, lad, you be a hero!Т
The two guards nodded their solemn agreement. Jahdo merely shrugged. He knew that if he tried to say one word, tears would pour and shame him. And yet, when they reached the main jetty and discovered the entire council assembled to hail the rat boy, Jahdo found himself caught by the moment. Admi himself stepped forward to take his hand and lead him onto the barge, where the town banners snapped and rustled as the mists blew away. The councilmen bowed, the oarsmen saluted, the militia all watched him with awe. JahdoТs heart began to pound from the honour of it. Maybe he was a hero, after all. Maybe he really did believe them. Maybe he really did want to go.
At the main gates out Meer stood waiting beside his huge white horse. With his staff in one hand he turned his sightless eyes their way and boomed out a greeting as the procession made its way up. The honours evaporated like summer mist from the lake.
СWell, Jahdo lad, are you ready for our journey?Т
СNot truly.Т The words leapt from his mouth. СMeer, I be scared.Т
The councilmen winced and looked this way and that, but the Gel daТThae laughed.
СGood. So am I. WeТve every right to be. Neither of us are warriors, are we?Т
СSo weТre not,Т Jahdo said. СI wish we were.Т
Meer laughed again and swung his head round.
СCouncilman Verrarc? Where are you?Т
СHere, good sir.Т Verrarc stepped forward. СMy men tell me you donТt want the lad to have a pony.Т
СJust so. The pack mule and supplies will do us, and very generous you townsmen are, I must say. Jahdo and I will walk, because warriors we are not, only a blind man and a lad, and much more fitting it will be for us to stay on our two feet. And safer, as well. All during my long journey from the trading stations of the east, IТve been studying to be humble, and Jahdo my friend, I recommend the same to you. When a man runs the risk of meeting his ancestral enemies, humility becomes him.Т
No one seemed to be able to think of fine words to answer those,
СLet us address the gods,Т Meer went on, Сand beg them for a safe journey as we go about our business. All our doings lie in the hands of the gods, after all,Т He flung himself to his knees, bowed his head, and stretched out his arms like a suppliant. СO you gods who dwell beyond the sky, all-powerful and all-seeing, and especially the gods of roads, O you, Tanbala of the North, O you, Rinbala of the South, Thunderers and Shakers, hear our prayer!Т
Meer prayed for a long while, both in his language and that of the Rhiddaer, while the men looked this way and that and Jahdo watched fascinated. The folk of the Rhiddaer prayed, when they prayed at all, standing on their feet and facing the borne of whatever god they were invoking, whether it was a tree or a hot spring or a fire mountain. HeТd never seen anyone grovel in front of the gods before, and the sight embarrassed him. At last, however, Meer finished and rose, dusting off the knees of his leather trousers as if heТd done something perfectly ordinary. The men standing round all sighed in relief.
Verrarc handed Jahdo the lead rope of a fine brown mule, laden with canvas panniers.
СFarewell, lad, and may we meet again soon.Т
Jahdo had never heard anything less sincere in his life.