"Elenium 02 - The Ruby Knight" - читать интересную книгу автора (Eddings David)

only to Sir Sparhawk, but also to his champion's brother
knights. The King and his friend journeyed often to
Demos to confer with the Preceptor of our order, and
major policy decisions were more often made in the
Mother-house than in the chambers of the royal council
where courtiers had customarily dictated royal policy
with an eye more to their own advantage than to the
good of the kingdom.
Sir Sparhawk married in middle life, and his wife soon
bore him a son. At Antor's request, the child was also
named Sparhawk, a tradition which, once established,
has continued unbroken in the family to this very day.
When he had reached a suitable age, the younger
Sparhawk entered the Pandion Mother-house to begin
the training for the position he would one day fill. To
their fathers' delight, young Sparhawk and Antor's son,
the crown prince, had become close friends during their
boyhood, and the relationship between king and
champion was thus ensured to continue unbroken.
When Antor, filled with years and honours, lay on his
death-bed, his last act was to bestow his ruby ring and
the short, broad-bladed spear upon his son, and at the
same time the elder Sparhawk passed his ring and the
royal sword on to his son. This tradition has also
persisted down to this very day.
It is widely believed among the common people of
Elenia that for so long as the friendship between the royal
family and the house of Sparhawk persists, the kingdom
wil prosper and that no evil can befall it. Like many
superstitions, this one is to some degree based in fact.
The descendants of Sparhawk have always been gifted
men, and in addition to their Pandion training, they have
also received special instruction in statecraft and
diplomacy, the better to prepare them for their
hereditary task.
Of late, however, there has been a rift between the
royal family and the house of Sparhawk. The weak King
Aldreas, dominated by his ambitious sister and the
Primate of Cimmura, rather coldly relegated the current
Sparhawk to the lesser, even demeaning position as
caretaker of the person of Princess Ehlana, possibly in
the hope that the champion would be so offended that he
would renounce his hereditary position. Sir Sparhawk,
however, took his duties seriously and educated the
child who would one day be queen in those areas which
would prepare her to rule.
When it became obvious that Sparhawk would not
willingly give up his post, Aldreas, at the instigation of
his sister and Primate Annias, sent the Knight Sparhawk
into exile in the Kingdom of Rendor.