"Brian Jacques - Redwall 06 - Martin The Warrior" - читать интересную книгу автора (Jacques Brian)

"Today as we walked through your beautiful Abbey we saw a tapestry," the
mousemaid began. "1 immediately recognized the mouse pictured there, Martin
the Warrior. As I understand it he is the guiding spirit of this place and one
of its founders. Do you know much

about him?"

Abbot Saxtus sighed, shaking his head slow. "Martin has always been here to
guide us in times of trouble. His presence was felt when two of our young
ones, Dandin and Mariel, were here. Unfortunately they have been gone a season
and a half now. Martin's presence has not been felt since. We know too little
of our Abbey Warrior. 1 dearly wish we knew more."

A faint smile hovered about the face of Aubretia. She leaned forward and
looked at the Abbot and his Redwal-lers sitting in the flickering firelight.

"Then you shall, for I have a long and great tale to

relate to you...."

It is said that Badrang's dream was to be Lord of all the Eastern Coast. A
former corsair, he ceased plundering the high seas to carve out his own empire
on land. He chose good territory, facing the Eastern Sea, with hills to

the north, cliffs to the south, marshes to the west and wild forests beyond.
Secure at the edge of the shoreline the battle-hardened stoat could defend his
position from any attack. There he set about making his dream become reality,
a fortress of timber and stone.

Marshank!

Badrang was Chieftain of a horde: weasels, ferrets, foxes and rats. He did not
trust other stoats, considering his species to be the most cunning and
resourceful of all creatures. Scuttling his crippled ship on the northwest
coast, Badrang had set out overland, striking for the far coast where corsairs
and searats seldom sailed the grey-blue waters of the great Eastern Sea. As he
travelled, the vicious stoat ravaged the land, killing those he could not
conquer and enslaving those he could. It took two long seasons until he
finally arrived triumphant at his destination, laden with plunder, backed by
his ruthless horde and driving a long chain of wretched slaves before him.

Badrang set his slaves to work, forcing them to carve a rock quarry and
commence building his fortress. The work went well, and soon a living quarters
was erected, followed by a perimeter guard wall with its gates facing the
shoreline.

He scanned the open sea each day, for he had made enemies among his own kind
when he was pirating. Fortunately there was never a sign of sail or ship on
the horizon. However, he bullied and drove both slave and hordebeast to have