"Sharon Green - [ebel 01 - Rebel" - читать интересную книгу автора (Green Sharon)

them the way most people are. And I used to watch my fatherтАЩs guardsmen being trained in how to use
their daggers, then I would go back to my apartment and practice with the dagger IтАЩd stolen. IтАЩm not bad
with the weapon, even if I do say so myself.тАЭ
тАЬIf we do manage to get out of here, are you willing to give me some lessons?тАЭ Adair asked, distantly
realizing how odd it seemed to hear a woman in an ordinary day gown talk about using weapons.
тАЬIf youтАЩll teach me how to throw things the way you do, you have a deal,тАЭ Elmini answered, her smile
widening. тАЬThe more you know about how to defend yourself, the better off you are - but only if youтАЩre
willing to use what you know. I spent too long a time backing away from using what I know, but those
days are over.тАЭ
тАЬNallis is overseeing the guardsmen taking away that assassin, so why donтАЩt we all get something to eat?тАЭ
Lisni suggested as she turned back from watching what sheтАЩd just described. тАЬMost of these poor people
are too upset over what they just saw to want a meal, probably because theyтАЩre picturing themselves
being attacked. Since I donтАЩt really care whether or not IтАЩm attacked, my sensibilities arenтАЩt quite as
delicate as theirs. Shall we?тАЭ
тАЬGood idea,тАЭ Nossa answered while Adair and Elmini just nodded their agreement. тАЬI donтАЩt really want
to die, but itтАЩs come to me that if I do get killed I wonтАЩt have to keep worrying about whatтАЩs likely to ruin
my life next. The idea of being completely out from under is oddly comforting.тАЭ
Adair had no trouble seeing the truth of that point of view, and it was clear that Elmini and Lisni also
agreed. To find herself less alone should have made Adair feel better, but it suddenly came to her that she
actually felt worse.
тАЬDo you girls realize weтАЩve just agreed that dying would be easier on us than continuing to live?тАЭ Adair
demanded, stopping them all on their way to get plates. тАЬWeтАЩre not quite up to the point of committing
suicide like your cousin, Nossa, but if things just keep getting worse we may eventually reach that point.
Why does the king refuse to see that?тАЭ
тАЬMaybe itтАЩs because no one has ever bothered to tell him just how bad things are,тАЭ Lisni suggested after
a long moment, her expression now as disturbed as those shown by the other girls. тАЬHe may not care
even once heтАЩs told and has been convinced itтАЩs the truth, but he really ought to be given a chance to
change things.тАЭ
тАЬSince heтАЩs not a woman, I doubt if he will change things,тАЭ Adair said, remembering the way sheтАЩd been
simply brushed aside before dinner the previous night. тАЬWhat he and the other men need is a taste of
what weтАЩve had to live with for so long, but at the moment I canтАЩt think of a way to accomplish that.
Putting a knife to the kingтАЩs throat probably wonтАЩt do the job.тАЭ
тАЬAnd even if the king agreed, the other men in the kingdom would certainly refuse,тАЭ Elmini pointed out
with a shake of her head. тАЬI know for a fact that my father would refuse, even if his title and all the gold
and property ended up in my motherтАЩs possession. I love my mother dearly, but sheтАЩs such a frightened,
delicate little thing that I decided when I was very young not to ever become the same.тАЭ
тАЬMy mother is just the way they all wanted me to be,тАЭ Nossa said, her expression now sad. тАЬSheтАЩs sweet
and very reasonable and never raises her voice, and if she was ever put in charge sheтАЩd have no idea
what to do.тАЭ
тАЬBut my mother would know exactly what to do,тАЭ Lisni put in, her own expression showing more
amusement. тАЬNo one is allowed to tell her what to do, not even my father, and Father seems to enjoy
that state of affairs even more than she does. They were both delighted when I turned out to be so much
like her.тАЭ
TheyтАЩd all started to move toward the plates again, so Adair followed along behind them without joining
the discussion. She could barely remember her own mother, but the general impression she had was of a
very unhappy woman. Which, considering the fact that the woman was married to AdairтАЩs father, wasnтАЩt
terribly surprising.
Adair went with the other women to get some food, but she couldnтАЩt help wondering what her own life
would have been like if her mother had been able to marry a man she loved and liked rather than one
who had been forced on herтАж