"Robert Don Hughes - Pelman 01 - The Prophet Of Lamath" - читать интересную книгу автора (Hughes Robert Don)

whispered conspiratorially: "You see, Pezi there has kidnapped the daughter of the royal house of Talith, and he
carries her to Lamath to sell her for trading favors." About this time, Pezi was regaining his consciousness, if not his
composure. "Where am I?" the fat merchant groaned, and Heinox slipped to the front of the column to answer him.

"You are under your horse," the dragon said, which was true; and though Pezi's question had been rhetorical, the
dragon's answer did bring back to him the realities of the situation. He jumped up. Rather, he tried to jump up, but
bumped his head against his horse's underbelly and fell down again. He rolled over with great effort, and tottered
slowly to his feet.

"What's going on?" he muttered.

"Quiet," hissed Heinox, "I'm talking to the man from the house of Player." "Nonsense," snorted Pezi without thinking.
"There is no house of Player. I know all of the royal and noble family names of all the districts, and the only Player I
know is Pelman the player, and he's-" It suddenly struck him. "You're not talking to Pelman the player! Don't believe
him! A pack of lies! The man's a public nuisance!" Pezi forgot himself. He ran toward the rear of the caravan, so upset
at this turn of events that he forgot who it was he was talking to. The dragon reminded him.

Quickly. Suddenly Pezi was running into the opened jaws of Vicia; when he managed to get his belly turned in the
other direction and looked away from those gaping jaws behind him, he found himself looking down the throat of
Heinox. He stopped dead in his tracks, and clapped both hands over his mouth. The two pairs of teeth snapped shut
together, with an almost metallic click. Pezi swallowed with some difficulty. "Excuse me, your Dragonship." Four eyes
focused intently on Pezi, and the fat man sank to his knees under the burden of that steel-hard double gaze.

Pelman's rich, melodious voice broke the silence, filling the narrow canyon. "Of course, you really can't blame Pezi for
his actions. Any of the trading families would do the same if they had the opportunity." Relief surged through Pezi as
the giant heads lifted up and drifted back toward Pelman. He fished his handkerchief out of his handbag and mopped
his sweaty forehead. He was seriously considering retiring from the business.

"I have not seen a human of royal blood since I ate six of them during the last great rebellion. I want to see this girl."
Vicia dropped down to look Pelman in the eye. "You show her to me." "I would rejoice in the pleasure of introducing
the lady to you, your Dragonship, but-as you see-I am chained." The dragon really hadn't noticed, but the fellow was
indeed bound. Vicia-Heinox rarely observed such things, in any case. Only when he got pieces of chain caught
between his teeth were they ever any problem to him. Heinox spoke to Pezi: "Release this man." The chubby salesman
waddled down to Pelman as quickly as he could, fishing keys from his handbag. Once free, Pelman walked to the
beautiful golden litter with a style and grace that belied his rags. Here he paused dramatically.

"I am sure the lady would have spoken to you sooner, your Dragonship, but as you see-" He swept aside the drapes.
"-she, too, is bound." Pelman shot Pezi an accusing look. The merchant hung his head.

The dragon yawned. "So release her." "With pleasure," Pelman said, and he bent nobly to his task. He was a spry and
energetic figure, not an old man by any means, but neither was he young. He had expressive blue eyes, and
shoulder-length brown hair, and a face that was ordinary enough to allow him to remain unnoticed if he chose to be. It
was his voice that most impressed the dragon, for it climbed and dropped with such personality and dignity that
Vicia-Heinox was nearly mesmerized. He could not recall hearing any man speak with such assurance.

And speak Pelman did: "This lovely young lady, savagely ripped from the home of her father, will impress you, I think,
with her gentleness. She has had the best of training in the art of being ladylike, for she's been surrounded since birth
by the loveliest women of the realm. Now her father and I have not always seen eye to eye on every matter, I'll grant
you, and the last time we spoke we did have a bit of trouble communicating, but I think he would agree with me that of
all the ladies of his court, this one is the loveliest. I present to you the gentle Lady Bronwynn." At this Pelman