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

СJahdo, come on! You canТt stay here.Т
He hesitated, considering, but taking orders from his sister rankled.
СWonТt. You go down if you want to.Т
СYou dolt! Come with me!Т
He shook his head in a stubborn no and refused to say a thing more. After a moment she slid down and plunged into the crowd like a swimmer into waves. He could just make her out, heading from clot to murmuring clot of townsfolk, until at last she fetched up next to Dcnict, standing guard near the fire itself. So thatТs it! Jahdo thought. She just wanted to find him, not Mam and Da at all.
Brass horns blared at the gates to the plaza. The crowd shrank back into itself, opening a narrow passage through for the councilmen, with Verrarc in the lead and Admi, the Chief Speaker, bringing up the rear. In the middle strode the Gel daТThae, surrounded by councilmen, all murmuring to him at once, whether or not he could hear over the crowd and the horns. As they reached the steps, a squad of militiamen escorted them to the big stone rostrum near the fire. After some confused milling round, the clot opened again to let Admi climb the rostrum. A tall man with narrow shoulders but a big belly, he was going bald rather badly, so that he seemed made from perched spheres. In the firelight his head gleamed with sweat, and his tiny eyes peered out at the crowd through slits in heavy flesh. Yet when he spoke his dark voice rang like gold.
СFellow citizens! We do have among us a guest, the honoured bard Meer of the Gel daТThae.Т
Dutifully everyone clapped their hands, a patter of sound, dying fast.
СHe does come on grave purpose and with serious intent. Trouble brews in the far west. The wild tribes of the northern Horsekin are on the move.Т
It seemed that everyone in the plaza caught their breath hard. Even over the crackle of the bonfire their dismay hammered on the surrounding walls. Admi wiped his forehead with both hands, unconsciously pushing back hair he no longer had.
СMay the gods allow that this trouble stay among them!Т Admi went on. СYet who knows what the gods intend? The western Horsekin, our allies for all these long years, are fortifying their cities. From what Meer does tell me, it behooves us to look to our own. We go on full guard qnd military alert.Т
Murmurs, nods - the crowd moved within itself, then fell silent. Jahdo inched closer along the wall. He could just see Meer, turning his head slowly back and forth, as if listening to the temper of the gathering.
СSince Meer did travel long and hard to reach us, he will claim a reward,Т Admi continued. СHe would journey farther on, where none of our merchants do go, and he does need a servant and guide. Sightless as he is, he requires a lad to wait upon him in his roamings, now that he can no longer travel with a caravan.Т
Too late Jahdo remembered his sisterТs premonitions. He clung to the wall, paralysed like a rat cornered by a ferret, as Councilman Verrarc walked to the edge of the steps and looked his way. The traitor fire flared up and sent long lines of light to bind him to VerrarcТs cold blue stare. In the crowd several men called out a question.
СHeТs heading east.Т In the stress of the moment Admi dropped his rhetoric. СHe says he does have business at the border. The one we share with the Slavers.Т
Jahdo turned so weak and cold that he nearly fell. He grabbed the rough stones to steady himself and swung down to hide in the muttering swarm of townsfolk. Too late - Verrarc was speaking to the militiamen, summoning a pair, plunging into the crowd and heading straight for him. Jahdo tried to run, but caught in the forest of grown-ups he found no path. Verrarc laid a heavy hand on his shoulder and swung him round. The councilman was smiling.
СMeer did remember you, lad. Bring me the boy who smells of ferrets, he said. That one owns a brave heart.Т
Jahdo stared into his eyes and felt again that he was spinning in a mind-eddy, down and down, drowning in the lake of VerrarcТs eyes. From what seemed like far away he heard a woman screaming in rage. The screams grew louder, rushed close, turned into his motherТs voice. The spell broke. His motherТs face hovered above him.
СYou maynТt, you maynТt! How can you even think of it?Т
СIt be the treaty bond, Dera!Т Verrarc shoved himself back, raising one hand ready to ward blows. СItТs needful that someone go. Do you want a whole pack of Horsekm sieging us for breaking the treaty?Т
СHe be but ten summersТ Send some other lad Send one of the militia С
СMeer didnТt ask for some other lad.Т
With an animal snarl Dcrd turned away and began shoving her way toward the steps In his motherТs strong grip Jahdo found himself dragged after as the guards and Verrarc followed, with Verrarc arguing with Dera the entire way Jahdo could |ust sense the crowd thinning, swaying, as most of the citizens headed for the gate He was willing to bet that the family of every other boy there was running for safety In the flaring torchlight by the colonnade Meer stood waiting, his arms crossed over his chest
СListen, you!Т Dera growled СI do care not if you be one of the gods themselves YouТre not taking my son away.Т
СDera, please, hold your tongue!Т Verrarc looked terrified СYouТll insult our guest С
With Niffa, Demet, and Kiel right behind him, Lael pushed through the crowd. Dera ignored him and the councilman both and waggled one finger under MeerТs flat nose
СJust who do you think you are, anyway,Т she went on СMarching in here and -Т
СMv good woman, please!Т Meer held one huge hand up flat for silence СI come to you as a suppliant, as one in need. Please, I beg you, allow your son to come with me. I promise you IТll treat him not as a slave, but every bit as well and tenderly as I would treat my very own first-born nephew.Т
Dera hesitated Verrarc muttered astonishments.
СA motherТs words are law, Councilman,Т Meer snapped. СMy good woman, as I travelled this day through your city, everywhere I smelt fear, except on your son. HeТs like one of your weasels, very small, but with the heart of a wolf I cannot travel alone.Т He reached up to touch the rim of an empty eye-socket. СMy own mother wept when they blinded me, but in the end my calling pleased her well. For all I know, some great destiny lies in wait for your lad. Would you stand in his way?Т
СWell now С Dera let out her breath in a puff СWell now. If you were going anywhere but east -Т
СTruly, the name of the Slavers is not one to speak in jest. Among my own people we call them Lijik Ganda, the Red Reivers An aeon ago they swept down upon us, and the slaughter drove us from our homeland and into sin and degradation. Woe, woe to the people of the horse that our desperation drove us to such sins! Do you think weТve forgotten such terrible things? I will not he to you. I take your son into danger, but I would take my own nephew, had I a nephew, into the same С
СThis thing be as important as that?Т Lael broke in
Meer turned slightly in the direction of Councilman Verrarc, just a brief involuntary gesture Fortunately Verrarc was whispering to one of the militiamen and, at least, seemed to notice nothing.
СIt is to me. To no one else, mayhap. My mother laid a geas upon me concerning my brother, and I have reason to believe heТs gone east С
To Jahdo the bardТs voice sounded entirely too smooth, too glib, making him wonder if Meer were lying, but he supposed that he might have felt that way because he too had something to hide from the councilman. As he thought of Verrarc, he felt words bursting from his mouth.
СMam, I want to go.Т
The moment he spoke he was horrified, but there was no taking the words back. Dera threw her hands into the air and keened aloud, just one brief sob of sound, quickly stifled. Lael turned to him, his mouth working.
СIf we do owe this thing under treaty,Т Lael said at last СAnd if you want to go, well, then, there be naught much your mother and I can say about it. But be you sure, lad? At your age and all, how can you know your own mind?Т
Jahdo felt his entire body trembling, trying to squeeze out the words his traitor mouth refused to speak: no, no, I didnТt mean it, I donТt want to go, I donТt. His heart pounded the words like a drum, but he could not speak
СHe smells great things on the move, my good man,Т Meer said СEven a child may sense destiny.Т
СDestiny?Т Dera spat out the word. СHogwash and turnip wine!Т
СMy good woman, please. With luck weТll never even cross the SlaversТ border.Т
СHah! That sort of luck does have a way of running short. IТm not letting my lad -Т
All at once Dera stopped speaking. Meer caught himself as he was about to speak, as well, and turned, moving his huge head from side to side as if he were straining to hear some small sound. Jahdo realized that he himself was - that they all were - turning to Niffa, staring at Niffa, even though sheТd said not a word. Her face had gone dead-pale, and in the broken torchlight her eyes seemed huge pools of shadow, as empty as those of the bard himself. Demet grabbed her arm to steady her.
СLet him go, Mam.Т Her voice was a hollow whisper. СHeТll be safer there than here.Т
Involuntarily Jahdo glanced at Verrarc, standing just behind her, and saw the strangest smile on the councilmanТs face. It reminded him of a playmate caught cheating in a game. Dera considered for a long moment, taking her daughterТs strange pronouncement seriously, as indeed she always did whenever Niffa came out with one. For a moment she seemed about to speak; then she burst into tears and rushed off, dodging her way through the remnant of crowd. Swearing under his breath, Kiel followed her.
СWell, then, thatТs settled.Т Rubbing his hands together, Verrarc stepped forward. СLael, since your sonТs fulfilling an obligation for the entire town, the council will of course provide him with a pony and such supplies as heТll be needing for this journey. Meer, the chief speaker and I did think that we could spare you some armed guards, as well, a squad of militia, say, and some pack horses.Т
СYou canТt spare them, councilman,Т Meer said. ThatТs the point of my journey here, wasnТt it now? Besides, the child and I will be safer on our own. I know a trick or two about smelling my way to safety when I have to. If need be, the lad and I can always hide in wild places, but hiding a whole pack of armed men in the forest is beyond me.Т
СHiding?Т Lael stepped forward. СFrom what? Now wait just a moment, good bard. I had no idea ЧТ