"Elliott,.Kate.-.Crown.Of.Stars.3.-.Burning.Stone" - читать интересную книгу автора (Elliott Kate)

away from the learning offered to her by the old sorcerer?

She shaded her eyes from the sun and sat again on the
bench. It had heavy feet fashioned in the likeness of a lion's
paws, carved of a reddish-tinged marble. That same marble
had been used for the pillars lining the inner court.

Because the king was not now in residence at Weraushausen,
a mere Eagle like herself could sit in the court usually
reserved for the king rather than stand attendance upon him. It
was so quiet that she could believe for this while in the peace
that God are said to grant to the tranquil soulЧnot that such
peace was ever likely to be granted to her.

A sudden scream tore the silence, followed by laughter and
the pounding of running feet.

"Nay, children. Walk with dignity. Slow down!"

The children of the king's schola had arrived to take their
midday exercise, some more sedately than others. Liath
watched as they tumbled out into the sunlight. She envied
these children their freedom to study, their knowledge of their
kin, and their future position in the king's court. One boy
climbed a plinth and swung, dangling, from the legs of the old
statue set there, an ancient Dariyan general.

"Lord Adelfred! Come down off there. I beg you!"

"There's the Eagle," said the boy, jumping down. "Why
couldn't we hear her report about the battle at Gent?"

Next to the statue stood Ekkehard, the king's youngest child.
He resembled his father although he had the slenderness of
youth. At this moment, he wore a sullen expression as if it
were as fine an adornment as his rich clothing and gem-
studded rings, in sharp contrast to the austere expression of
the stone soldier. "I asked if I could ride back with her, to my
father," he said, "but it wasn't allowed."

"We must be going back to the king's court soon," retorted the
other boy, looking alarmed. By the slight burr in the way he
pronounced his Wendish, Liath guessed he was from Avaria,
perhaps one of Duke Burchard's many nephews. "King Henry
can't mean to leave us here forever! I'm to get my retinue next
year and ride east to fight the Quman!"

"It won't matter, forever," muttered Prince Ekkehard. He had a
sweet voice; Liath had heard him sing quite beautifully last
night. In daylight, without a lute in his hand, he merely looked