"Sharon Green - Lady Blade, Lord Fighter 01 - Silver Bracers" - читать интересную книгу автора (Green Sharon)

of Gensea, and have come seeking the lady Sofaltis of Gensea, daughter of the Duke, for whom I have a
most urgent communication. I've been told I would find her here in this house, and although I have never
seen her, she was described to me as being perhaps a year my junior, delicately pretty with unusually
lovely gray eyes, brown-haired and litheтАж"

"Wait just a minute here!" the woman interrupted in sudden annoyance, no longer appearing quite as
winsome as she had a moment earlier. "Are you saying you're here looking for someone, an actual, real
someone? You have a message to deliver?"

"Hardly so simple a thing as a message," Timper responded, stung by the change in the beautiful woman's
attitude. "A ducal courier is not a mere message bearer, the responsibilities of the position are a good
deal more complex thanтАж"

"But you don't deny you're here looking to talk to someone," the woman insisted, nearly in accusation.
"And not for the usual reason. Well, I'm afraid I can't help you. I've never heard of this-lady, and doubt
that she's ever been here. I wish you a pleasant evening-elsewhere."

The lovely woman had risen to her feet behind the desk, her expression now closed and cold, and
Timper found himself almost completely at a loss. Not only had he no desire to leave, he could not leave
before learning for certain that the lady Sofaltis wasn't there. Firm insistence had often gotten him what
information and assistance he required, and just then he knew he needed to try something of the same
again.

"Madam, I must beg your indulgence for a few moments more," he said at once with more desperation
than assertive-ness, not precisely the attitude he'd been attempting but one that would have to do. "I've
been informed that the lady Sofaltis is here, in company with members of the Silver

Gleaming, whose presence, if fact, could scarcely be missed. Their purpose in coming here was kept
from me, in a deliberate attempt at vindictiveness, I believe, yet was I specifically toldтАж"

"The Silver Gleaming?" the woman interrupted, a faint, very attractive frown suddenly shadowing her
face, "Of course there are members of the Silver Gleaming here. We happen to be very popular with the
Blades because of the balanced variety our house offers, just as we're popular with the other Sword
Companies. I happened to see a few Fists arriving, but there were no-ladies-with them."

The woman pronounced the word "ladies" as though it were nearly off-color and entirely loathsome, an
attitude Timper couldn't quite understand. Not that he was able to understand most of the rest of what
he'd been told. The north, it seemed, was far more different from the south than he'd imagined.

"What are Fists?" he asked almost warily, wondering if he would next be able to ask about the "balanced
variety" the woman had also mentioned. He wasn't quite sure, but somehow he had the distinct
impression the concept of variety was one he ought to be familiar with.

"Fists are special units of Sword Companies," the vision answered, staring at him in an odd manner as
she reseated herself. "The units consist of five Blades, usually the best Blades the Company has, and in
battle they carry out initial or crucial thrusts. Where did you say you come from?"

"A gentleman scarcely has the time to investigate every unimportant facet of such things as Sword
Companies." Timper returned stiffly, this time stung into trying to defend himself. He could also feel the
flush in his cheeks, and nearly began shifting in place like an ignorant child caught by his tutor. "Are you