"Rawn, Melanie - Dragon Star 03 - Skybowl" - читать интересную книгу автора (Dragon Stories)

"Because that's the way it's done," Tobren said sharply.
Across the table, Jihan gave her a look to incinerate stone. "I am Jihan," she said again, deliberately. "I am the daughter of Pol and Meiglan, and I have one ring. See?"
"It's not a Sunrunner's ring," Tobren challenged.
"All right! I don't have any rings! Goddess blessing!"
Sioned and Meath exchanged a glance of mingled amusement and exasperation.
Maara, like Jihan, was diarmadhi. Unlike Jihan, she was quiet and serious as she named herself the daughter of Riyan and Ruala, without rings, and gave the traditional ending.
Then it came Sioned's turn, and the first part of the greeting took her back more than forty-five years. She could almost feel Camigwen nearbyЧindeed, Cami's granddaughter stood right next to her. So strong were the memories that the last words, which honesty compelled her to say, tasted strange. "I am Sioned, daughter of Daniv and Riaza, and I wear none of my seven ringsЧ"
This reminder was Tobren's limit. "This isn't Goddess Keep," she exclaimed. "We shouldn't be doing this at allЧ and especially not with you! You don't even wear your rings!"
Meig, four-year-old face poking around the ladder back of the chair he stood behind, wrinkled his brow. "Don't yell!"
Sioned sighed. "Hush, Meig. Tobren, you're right, of course. This isn 't Goddess Keep. I don't wear the rings Lady Andrade gave me."
Meath stripped off all his rings and put them on the table. "Neither do I."
Tobren caught her breath. "Put them back on, Meath!"
"Will they make him a Sunrunner again?" Jihan asked, all innocence and gleeful blue eyes.
Sioned cast her a quelling glance. "All of you know why you're here. There are things you must leam for your own
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Melanie Rawn
SKYBOWL
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safety. It has been decided that Meath and I will teach you. If any of you choose not to participateЧ"
A soft voice interrupted from the doorway. "I am Alasen, daughter of Volog and Gyula, and I have no rings. Goddess blessing to you, Sunrunners."
She glided gracefully into the room to stand at an empty place between Meath and Meig. Her long, gold-lit brown hair was undone across her shoulders, and she was pale and hollow-eyed with weariness. She looked worse than when she'd arrived at Feruche yesterday.
"I need to learn how to use what the Goddess has given me," Alasen said, staring down at her hands. On the left was the ring Ostvel had given her in token of their marriageЧthe only one she had ever wanted to wear. "Will you teach me? May I leam with you?"
"You may," Sioned told her. "Will you join us, too, Tobren?"
"You know so many things we don't," Antalya contributed shyly. "We'll need your help."
Tobren was silent for a time. Then, reluctantly: "My name is Tobren, I am the daughter of Andry and Rusina, and I have no rings. Goddess blessing to you, Sunrunners."
Meig spoke the formula, looking bored. Alasen repeated it, completing their circle. Meath brought a candle for her from the sideboard, and when they all stood quietly behind their chairs once more, Sioned made a slow, graceful gesture. Her candle lit with a pure, golden flame.
"The next time we greet each other," she said, "we will each call Fire in turn. Yes, Jinan, I know you already can. And you, too, Tobren. You must wait for the others to catch up. Please sit down now. And while Meath gives you this first lesson, you must all remember that part of a faradhi's name is silence."
If Jihan expected to learn spellsЧand if Tobren expected some revelation of Goddess Keep's secretsЧit was a disappointing afternoon. Meath gave them a history lesson. After lighting his own candle, he began with the beginning of Lady Andrade's rule in the Dragon Year of 677Чthe year of Sioned's own birth, ancient history to everyone but her and Meath. He stayed away from politics and wars, merely recounted how Goddess Keep was governed, what a typical day was like, and what the basic duties and functions of Sunrunners were. He spoke of Sunrunners who resided at
Goddess Keep, those who were assigned to specific courts, and those who rode the princedoms as itinerants.
As he talked, faces appeared in Sioned's candleflameЧ not by her conjuring, but called up by memories and visible only to her. Camigwen, Meath himself, their other friends of the same age and level of training. Urival, striding around the keep with Ostvel hurrying at his side and making frantic notes on parchment scraps as he was taught the duties of Chief Steward. Kleve, who had roamed Princemarch and the Desert and Meadowlord for so many years, who had died so horrible a death. Crigo, setting off so proudly to become a court Sunrunner, lost to Roelstra and dranath, his death even more hideous. But the strongest vision was of Andrade: pale and stern and acid-tongued, and loving them all in her own arrogantly demanding way. Loving Rohan and Pol so much that she died trying to save Princemarch for them.
What do you think of all this, I wonder? Sioned mused as Meath began to detail the changes Andry had made. Are we right in teaching these children? And AlasenЧwhat about her? It isn't mind-hunger that brought her to learn, but fear. Not a good start. But I think Meath and I can cure her of it, show her that she needn't be afraid....
Jihan, nowЧthere's not a quiver of fear in the child. Her mother and sister were taken in a battle she saw with her own eyes, but I'll wager she wasn't much frightened then, either. This is the best thing for her, I supposeЧoccupy her mind, give her something to do besides fret. But after what Sionell said about last night and the candle branch, she'll bear watching.
Are you watching me, my Lady? Are you somewhere out in the Desert sky, with Zehava and old Prince Lleyn, cursing our stupidity?
Rohan, are you there, too? Am I doing what you would have done?
And what in the Name of the Goddess shall I do about Pol and Sionell?
It was near dinnertime when Meath finally dismissed his students. Sioned collapsed back in her chair with a grimace of relief.
"Goddess! What a group!"
"At least they all kept their mouths shut. Want some wine?" He handed her a cup and she drank gratefully.
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"Sioned, I'm not sure we should include Meig in this. He's so young. And I think I just about sent him to sleep."
"Sionell wants it done. Frankly, I think she's wise to begin getting him used to faradhi things early. Did you notice how nervous Antalya was?"
He sat where Maara had been and sprawled long legs under the table. "That took me back a few years, I can tell you."
"More than I care to think about." She met his gaze with a slight smile. "Ghosts?"
"Cami, especially. And MardeemЧremember the way he sang? A voice to make the Goddess weep for the beauty of it. And PalevnaЧdo you know that Andrev's her grandson? Her daughter Othanel was his mother."
"How about two more ghosts for the collection?" she said, her smile growing wider. "That great big lump of a Sunrunner lad, and a freckled red-haired stick of a Sunrunner girl.... Goddess, Meath, how did we ever get here?"
"They're almost all gone now, you know," he mused. "Those of us who shared lessons, the ones who came with you to the Desert. Just you and me, Hildreth and Antoun. I haven't talked with either of them in a long, long time. He's still at Goddess Keep, isn't he?"
"Yes. And a devri now, in case you hadn't heard."
Meath stared at her. "One of Andry'sЧT
"Yes, one of Andry's." She lifted one shoulder and drank more wine.
"How do you know?"