"David Gemmel - Troy 02 - Shield of Thunder" - читать интересную книгу автора (Gemmel David)

тАЬOh, Great Zeus, let him answer that question,тАЭ Banokles said sleepily from his place by the fire.
Sweeping up the dagger, the woman tried to turn to face him but stumbled again.
тАЬBlows to the head can do that,тАЭ Banokles said, getting up and wandering over to join them. тАЬYou
should sit down.тАЭ
She stared hard at Kalliades. тАЬI saw you from my boat,тАЭ she said. тАЬYou were on the second ship. You
saw them cut across my bows and throw grappling lines. You watched as they dragged me aboard.тАЭ
тАЬYes. We were sailing with them.тАЭ
тАЬYou are pirates.тАЭ
тАЬWe are what we are,тАЭ Kalliades conceded.
тАЬI was to be passed to your ship tomorrow. They told me that while they were raping me.тАЭ
тАЬIt is not my ship. I did not give the order to attack you. Nor did I or my comrade take part in what
followed. No man could blame you for your anger, but do not direct it at the men who saved you.тАЭ
тАЬNow let us hope someone saves us,тАЭ Banokles added.
тАЬWhat do you mean?тАЭ the woman demanded.
тАЬWe are on a small island,тАЭ Banokles replied. тАЬWe have no gold and no ship. Angry men will come
looking for us tomorrow. Now, we are great warriors, Kalliades and I. None better. WellтАжnot now that
Argurios is dead. Between us I reckon we could survive against seven or eight warriors. There are
around sixty fighting men in the pirate crews. And not one soft-bellied puker among them.тАЭ
тАЬYou have no plan of escape?тАЭ
тАЬOh, I do not make plans, woman. I drink, I whore, I fight. Kalliades makes plans.тАЭ
тАЬThen you are both fools,тАЭ she said. тАЬYou have brought about your doom.тАЭ
тАЬWhere I come from slaves are respectful,тАЭ Banokles said, an edge of anger in his voice.
тАЬI am no manтАЩs slave!тАЭ
тАЬHave the blows to your head knocked all sense from you? Your craft was taken at sea. It carried no
banner and no safe conduct. You were captured, and now the pirates own you. Therefore, you are a
slave according to the laws of gods and men.тАЭ
тАЬThen I piss on the laws of gods and men!тАЭ
тАЬBe calm, both of you!тАЭ Kalliades ordered. тАЬWhere were you sailing to?тАЭ he asked her.
тАЬI was heading for Kios.тАЭ
тАЬYou have family there?тАЭ
тАЬNo. I had some wealth on the boat, gems and trinkets of gold. I was hoping to find passage on a ship
to Troy. The pirates took everything. And more.тАЭ She rubbed at her face, scrubbing away at the dried
blood.
тАЬThere is a stream over there,тАЭ Kalliades said. тАЬYou could wash your face.тАЭ
The woman hesitated. тАЬThen I am not your prisoner?тАЭ she asked at last.
тАЬNo. You are free to do as you please.тАЭ
She stared hard at Kalliades, then at Banokles. тАЬAnd you did not help me in order to make me your
slave or to sell me to others?тАЭ
тАЬNo,тАЭ Kalliades told her.
She seemed to relax then but continued to hold the dagger in a tight fist. тАЬIf what you say is true, I
shouldтАжthank you both,тАЭ she said, struggling with the words.
тАЬOh, donтАЩt thank me,тАЭ Banokles said. тАЬI would have let you die.тАЭ


CHAPTER TWO
THE SWORD OF ARGURIOS
Kalliades dozed for a while in the cave mouth, his head resting against the rock wall. Banokles was
snoring loudly and occasionally muttering in his sleep.
In the predawn Kalliades left the cave and walked to the stream. Kneeling by the bank, he splashed
his face, then ran his wet fingers through his close-cropped black hair.