"David Gemmell - Winter Warriors" - читать интересную книгу автора (Gemmel David)

They even spy on you? I cannot believe it.'

'Believe it. Skanda is no longer the boy-king who charmed us all. He is a man, ruthless and
ambitious. He is determined to conquer the world. And he probably will. If his new allies are as
trustworthy as he thinks.'

'You doubt the Prince Malikada?'

Banelion grinned and led the young man around the frozen lake. 'I have no reason to doubt him. Or
his wizard. Malikada's cavalry are superbly disciplined, and his men fight well. But he is not
Drenai, and the king puts great faith in him.' On the far side of the lake they came to a stone
arch, beneath which was a bust of a handsome man, with a forked beard, and a high sloping brow.
'You know who this is?' asked Banelion.

'No, sir. A Ventrian noble of some kind?'

'This is the general, Bodasen. He died three hundred and fifty years ago. He was the greatest
general the Ventrians ever had. He it was - with Gorben - who laid the foundations of their
empire.'

The old man shivered and drew his cloak more tightly

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about him. Dagorian stared hard at the white stone of the bust. 'I have read the histories, sir.
He is described as a plodding soldier. Gorben was said to have led the army to victory.'

Banelion chuckled. 'As indeed has Skanda. And in the months to come you will hear the same of me.
That is the way of the world, Dagorian. The victorious kings write the histories. Now let us go
back, for this cold is eating into my bones.'

Once back inside Dagorian banked up the fire and the general stood before it, rubbing his hands.
'So tell me,' he said, 'have they found Bison yet?'

'No, sir. They are scouring the whorehouses. The man with the cracked skull has regained
consciousness. The surgeons say he will not die.'
'That is a blessing. I would hate to hang old Bison.'

'He's been with you from the first, I understand.'

'Aye, from the first, when the old king was merely a young prince, and the kingdom was in ruins.
Days of blood and fire, Dagorian. I would not want to live them again. Bison is - like me - a
relic of those days. There are not many of us left.'

'What will you do when we find him, sir?'

'Ten lashes. But don't tie him to the post. That'll hurt his dignity. He'll stand there and hold
to it. His back will bleed, and you'll not hear a sound from him.'

'I take it you like the man.'