"Esther M. Friesner - Chicks 05 - Turn The Other Chick" - читать интересную книгу автора (Friesner Esther M)

"I'm a writer!"

The man scuttled away, still on the ground. "Take the chocolate. Take the horse." He scrambled to his
feet and fled, vanishing into the growing darkness.

Suzanne blinked, looking around in surprise. "Well . . . that was nice of him. Why do you suppose he
gave me the horse? He didn't seem all that nice a person."

Calliope had reappeared by her side. "He's not. I believe you frightened him."

"It serves him right for using chocolate to taunt an armed woman." Suzanne ate slowly, savoring the bar,
then dug in the abandoned horse's saddle bags and found another. "Now what, Calliope?"

"You have a horse. Ride it."

Suzanne mounted the horse, who seemed unimpressed by his change in owners. "I'm sure that man
didn't treat you very well, either, did he?" The second chocolate bar and the last traces of daylight
vanished at about the same time. Suzanne shivered in the cool night breeze. Her sword scabbard kept
slapping her leg in an annoying way, so she removed the scabbard from her belt and fastened it to her
saddle, rather enjoying the sensation of being armed and mounted. She even rubbed her armor with some
feeling of satisfaction.

It took her a while to realize Calliope had disappeared. With no Muse to follow down the empty road
on a cold night, and with the last of the chocolate gone, Suzanne's brief pleasure in her adventure rapidly
faded. Spotting a somewhat sheltered area among some rocks not far from the road, she guided the
horse that way, dismounted a bit stiffly, then sat heavily onto the ground, thrown off balance by the
weight of her armor. Muttering curses at Fate and Muses, Suzanne struggled briefly with getting out of
the armor, then gave it up as too much trouble and simply leaned back against the nearest rock.

A sound woke her to bright day. Suzanne stared around, blinking against the light. "Calliope?"

"Right here," the Muse answered cheerily. "You really should wake up now. Your adventure is getting
better by the moment!"

Beyond Calliope's shape, Suzanne saw a group of men approaching. Their generally scruffy appearance
and ragtag assortment of arms and armor didn't inspire confidence in her. She struggled back to her feet,
aware her hair probably looked frightful, and adjusted the leather armor, rapping the metal reinforcement
on her chest for reassurance.

The group of men stopped when they saw her moving, then came on again, smiling with varying degrees
of menace and anticipation. Suzanne counted their numbers and the scars on their faces with a sinking
feeling. "Oh, Calliope."
"Yes?"

"I'd appreciate a little help."

"This isn't the best time to write."

"I don't mean with writing! How am I going to handle these men? They look like bandits."