"01 - A Difficulty With Dwarves" - читать интересную книгу автора (Gardner Craig Shaw)

'Doom,' Hendrek glowered. 'There is no such thing as a Warriors Guild. We mercenaries are all alone, forced to ply our trade without kith or kin. I am but a lone man, with a lone enchanted warclub. Is it any wonder that we take refuge in symbolism?'

The demon whistled. 'I didn't know anything was large enough for you to take refuge in.'

Hendrek raised his club.

'Now, now!' Snarks hastily took a few steps away. 'If you are not going to abide by some of those handy diet and

20

exercise plans I have so helpfully given you, you have to expect comments like that! You should follow the apprentice's example here. Does he go on a rampage every time I show him how he might clear up his frightful complexion? I should say not! And I actually think my hints about his posture are having some positive effect!'

'Indeed!' I remarked neutrally. I had too much to do for my master to get into an argument now. I quickly explained how we needed both of them to meet the rest of our band by the great willow tree in under an hour.

'Doom,' Hendrek agreed.

'That means the Brownie will be there, too,' Snarks mused.

'He took me by surprise this last time, wouldn't let me gather my demonic wit. But that won't happen again.' A smile spread slowly over Snarks' bright green face. 'I'll be ready for him next time.' He turned to Hendrek. 'Are you sure I couldn't borrow your club for just a few minutes?'

'Doom!'

I decided to let the two of them continue their discussion without me. I still had to seek out the rest of our fellows. Most could be found close by the Wizards College, I knew, but there was a pair I would have to fetch from Vushta proper, where they were currently appearing under their professional names, 'Damsel and Dragon.' Perhaps it would be most economical to go after them first.

'Wuntvor!' a woman's voice called after me. 'Where are you running to?'

I turned to see Norei, my beloved, her hands upon her hips, her perfect mouth turned down to a perfect frown.

'I must fetch the rest of our compatriots to meet with Ebenezum!' I called to her. 'Pardon me, but is something wrong?'

21

'Well, it was awfully nice of you to tell me about it!' She sighed loudly and threw her arms open in a gesture of hopelessness. ' Wuntvor, one minute you are looking deep into my eyes, saying you will never leave my side. Then we go to help the sneezing wizards, and you vanish without a word of explanation ! I swear, do you ever think about your actions at all?'

'Um, er . . .'I began. Everything she said was, unfortunately, true. When my master gave me this emergency task, I had quite forgotten that I was in the midst of a deep discussion with my beloved.

'Oh, I know you might tell me I'm being petty,' she continued. 'Here I am, thinking of my own concerns when we have another emergency at hand. But it seems like there's been nothing but one emergency after another since I've met you!'

'Um, er. . .'I tried to explain.

'Maybe it's because I've done nothing but rescue you from one bad situation after another. You seem properly grateful for a moment or two, and then - zip! - off you go a'gain on some new adventure!'

'Um, er . . .' I said somewhat more forcefully. What did she mean, 'doing nothing but rescuing me' ? Hadn't I rescued her in there somewhere?

'I should have known!' she went on. 'My grandmother warned me about wizards! I should have realized her dire predictions would hold true for wizards' apprentices as well! You sit there and pledge eternal fealty, then the moment my back is turned, you gallivant off looking for adventure and other women!'

' I do not run of f all the time to see other women!' I shouted. Now she had gone too far!

'Well, perhaps I am being hasty,' Norei replied, somewhat mollified.