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

everyone knew he was a Fish Islands pirate. The coast patrol had almost trapped him in Hunport, but
instead of making a break for the sea, he'd come upriver with his crew, until things quieted down.

It was nigh on midwinter when he reached the kingdom known to its downstream neighbors as the
Swordladies' Domain. He grinned at thatтАФmost of the mountain kingdoms had a reputation for fierce
warrior women. But the only warrior women he'd seen had been bouncers at Gully Blue's tavern in
Hunport. He'd tossed both of them into the harbor.

An icy wind blew from the mountains, and lowering clouds promised snow as the crew offloaded their
cargo; Harald sent old Boris One-eye off to find them an inn. One-eye reported that he'd found rooms at
the Green Cat, and he'd seen some warrior women.

"Like soldiers, they are, in uniform."

"Not a problem," Harald said. "If they're part of the city guard, that'll make it all the easier for us."

"How?"

"City guards are city guards the world over," Harald said, rubbing fingers and thumb.
***

That night in the Green Cat's bar, Harald kept eyes and ears open. One particular corner table caught his
interest. A cute perky blonde wearing fringed black leather and polished brass pouted at the louts around
her, who were all clearly ready to do anything for another glance down her cleavage.

If that was an example of local women warriors, he and his men had nothing to worry about. She was
too pretty, too smooth-skinned and full-lipped, to know what to do with the fancy little dagger at her
belt, let alone a real sword. Her followers, big and muscular enough, wore fashions he'd seen only in the
grittier port brothels, but no visible weapons.

When the blonde pushed back from the table, he saw that she actually had cute little muscles in her
arms. She glanced over at him, and he grinned, raising his mug appreciatively. She stuck out her adorable
lower lip; one of her followers turned to glower at him. Harald shrugged, unperturbed. He watched as
she undulated across the room. Every part of herтАФmany visible through the long black fringeтАФsuggested
unspeakable delights.

Harald turned back to his ale, as she flounced out the door, to find that the burly fellow with the bits of
metal through his ears and nose was now beside him. "She's beautiful," Harald said. Under the table, his
hand slid down to the hilt of his boot knife. "You can't blame a man for looking."

"S'long as you're respectful," the man said.

"Oh, I am," Harald said. "But such beauty cannot be denied."

The burly man grinned. "Since you appreciate her many qualities, perhaps you'd like to make her
acquaintance a little closer?"

What was this? Was the woman a high-priced whore, and this her pimp? Did they think he'd been born
under a rhubarb leaf, and still had the dew on his backside?