"Esther M. Friesner - Chicks 04 - The Chick Is In The Mail" - читать интересную книгу автора (Friesner Esther M)

paste, Your Majesty, and I didn't know it was a copy of yoursтАФ"

"A likely story," the Queen sniffed. She turned to the King. "You promised me mine was unique. No
other like it, you said, an exclusive design. And now I see it around the neck of a muscle-bound
swordswoman who got it from some bawd. What do you say to that, eh? I demand that you take this up
with the Royal Jeweler; if he's selling copies on the slyтАФ"

Mirabel glanced at the King, who looked paler than the Queen. He patted the Queen's arm. "It's not like
thatтАФ" he began.

"Not like what?" the Queen asked. Her brow furrowed. "Did youknow about this? Did you intend for
me to be humiliated in front of everyone?"

Mirabel edged away from what promised to be a royal spat of epic proportions, and bumped into a
large well-muscled man in barbarian costume of fur and leather, who leered straight down her cleavage.
She vaguely recalled seeing him with Krystal, but couldn't think of his name.

"You're . . . stunning," he said, dragging his gaze back up to her face, but only momentarily.

"Who are you?" Mirabel asked.

"Skyver Twoswords," he said.

Another one whose invitation she'd addressed, and wondered about. "You're a friend of Krystal's, aren't
you?" she asked.

He gulped, blushed, and said, "Well, sort of. More than, actually."

Mirabel eyed him with more interest. "Sort of?"

"Well, she's . . . you know . . . she's different."

Different was not the adjective Mirabel would have chosen. Just then the band struck up "Granny
Morely's Wedding," one of her favorite pattern dances, and she smiled at Skyver. "Want to dance?"

"Er . . . I'm sorry . . . Krystal told me to stay here."

"Do you always do what Krystal says?"It was on a bright May morning . . . when Granny Morely
came . . . Her foot tapped the rhythm.

"Well . . . er . . . yes. I'm supposed to . . . "

. . . With all her friends and relatives . . . to change her maiden name . . .Skyver looked glum and
embarrassed all at once, and Mirabel didn't want to miss the dance. She looked around for another
partner.

"There you are!" Sergeant Gorse said. He beamed at her, not his usual expression. "May I have the
honor?"

They set off into the pattern:She had pink ribbons in her hair . . . she had them on her shoe . . . and