"Sharon Green - Brat 02 - Queen Brat" - читать интересную книгу автора (Green Sharon)

been saddled and brought out of the shed.

As Elissia walked to her horse and got ready to mount, she tried to decide why she
felt faintly annoyed. She had been raised as a princess, which meant she was more
than used to having people do things for her. It just seemed that there ought to be a
limit to having things done for you, if for no other reason than to let you learn how
to do those things on your own. Being helpless was never a benefit at any time, but
these people didn't seem to care. And they probably thought that her being a
woman meant she was helpless most of the timeтАж

Sitting on the hard saddle gave Elissia a distant reminder of what had been done to
her last night, but the sight of Derand being carried out of the cabin banished all
other thoughts. He lay so still and helpless-looking in the arms of the four men that
Elissia felt the urge to hold him tight and protect him from everything in the world.
Every man in sight was larger and better armed and trained than she, but Elissia
knew she could do a better job of protecting Derand. And from now on she wouldтАж

The trip back to Ramsond was neither fast nor pleasant. At one point one of the
riders handed her a package, and Elissia opened the package to find bread and
cheese and meat inside. The food must have come from the inn they'd passed, an
inn Elissia had ignored through worry about Derand. But the savage's men hadn't
ignored their queen's needs, and Elissia bolted down the food even while she
wished she didn't have to. She hated to feel helpless, but right now she was able to
feel nothing else.

It was afternoon before they rode through the gates of Ramsond, and they went
directly to the palace. By now Elissia was more angry with Derand than with
herself, since coming after her had been the savage's decision when he knew full
well how badly he'd been hurt. And he hadn't even taken it easy once he found her!
Did the man have no sense at all? No wonder all those men trailed after him so
doggedly. They knew that if they didn't look after him, he'd certainly never do the
job properly himself.



file:///C|/Downloads/GREEN%20Sharon%20-%20Queen%20Brat/brat1.html (5 of 15)05/10/2005 21:01:28
Queen Brat by Sharon Green

"El, what happened to Derand?" Elissia heard as she dismounted, the worry-filled
words coming from Gardal as he hurried up. "We got word when you came through
the gates, but no one said anything about - "

"Anything about your friend being a giant fool?" Elissia interrupted as she turned to
her brother. "Well, he is a fool, and that's why he's unconscious now. He pushed
himself much too hard and far, and now he's paying for the stupidity."

"If you want to discuss stupidity, let's do that," Gardal countered, looking at her
with less than brotherly tenderness. "If you hadn't taken off on your own to go the
gods only know where, Derand wouldn't have had to ride after you. If what
happened to him is anyone's fault, it's yours."