"Robert Jordan - Knife of Dreams Prologue (Embers Falling on Dry Grass)" - читать интересную книгу автора (Jordan Robert)

memory he held dear.

тАЬEamon Valda, Child of the Light, I call you to Trial Beneath the Light for unlawful
assault on the person of Morgase Trakand, Queen of Andor, and for her murder.тАЭ No one
had been able to confirm that the woman he regarded as his mother was dead, yet it must
be so. A dozen men were certain she had vanished from the Fortress of the Light before it
fell to the Seanchan, and as many testified she had not been free to leave of her own will.

Valda displayed no shock at the charge. His smile might have been intended to show
regret over GaladтАЩs folly in making such a claim, yet contempt was mingled in it. He
opened his mouth, but Asunawa cut in once more.

тАЬThis is ridiculous,тАЭ he said in tones more of sorrow than of anger. тАЬTake the fool, and
weтАЩll find out what Darkfriend plot to discredit the Children he is part of.тАЭ He motioned,
and two of the hulking Questioners took a step toward Galad, one with a cruel grin, the
other blank-faced, a workman about his work.

Only one step, though. A soft rasp repeated around the courtyard as Children eased their
swords in their scabbards. At least a dozen men drew entirely, letting their blades hang by
their sides. The Amadician grooms hunched in on themselves, trying to become invisible.
Likely they would have run, had they dared. Asunawa stared around him, thick eyebrows
climbing up his forehead in disbelief, knotted fists gripping his cloak. Strangely, even
Valda appeared startled for an instant. Surely he had not expected the Children to allow
an arrest after his own proclamation. If he had, he recovered quickly.

тАЬYou see, Asunawa,тАЭ he said almost cheerfully, тАЬthe Children follow my orders, and the
law, not a QuestionerтАЩs whims.тАЭ He held out his helmet to one side for someone to take.
тАЬI deny your preposterous charge, young Galad, and throw your foul lie in your teeth. For
it is a lie, or at best a mad acceptance of some malignant rumor started by Darkfriends or
others who wish the Children ill. Either way, you have defamed me in the vilest manner,
so I accept your challenge to Trial Beneath the Light, where I will kill you.тАЭ That barely
squeezed into the ritual, but he had denied the charge and accepted the challenge; it
would suffice.

Realizing that he still held the helmet in an outstretched hand, Valda frowned at one of
the dismounted Children, a lean Saldaean named Kashgar, until the man stepped forward
to relieve him of it. Kashgar was only an under-lieutenant, almost boyish despite a great
hooked nose and thick mustaches like inverted horns, yet he moved with open reluctance,
and ValdaтАЩs voice was darker and acrid as he went on, unbuckling his sword belt and
handing that over, too.

тАЬTake a care with that, Kashgar. ItтАЩs a heron-mark blade.тАЭ Unpinning his silk cloak, he let
it fall to the paving stones, followed by his tabard, and his hands moved to the buckles of
his armor. It seemed that he was unwilling to see if others would be reluctant to help him.
His face was calm enough, except that angry eyes promised retribution to more than
Galad. тАЬYour sister wants to become Aes Sedai, I understand, Damodred. Perhaps I
understand precisely where this originated. There was a time I would have regretted your
death, but not today. I may send your head to the White Tower so the witches can see the
fruit of their scheme.тАЭ