"Katherine Kerr - Deverry 06 - A Time Of Omens" - читать интересную книгу автора (Kerr Katherine) When Jill got back to the camp, she found it silent, with no one up but Keeta, sitting yawning by a dying
fire. тАЬI moved your gear and blankets and things over to our tent. Better let Salamander and Marka have one to themselves. Thought IтАЩd better wait up and tell you.тАЭ тАЬAh, I see,тАЭ Jill said. тАЬThank you.тАЭ On the morrow, when the troupe marched off into town to register the wedding officially at the archonтАЩs palace, Jill stayed in camp, but she came to greet them when they paraded back again. At the head of the line, sitting sidesaddle on SalamanderтАЩs dapple-gray horse, rode Marka, flushed and smiling, with her new husband walking beside her. In full costume the acrobats followed, singing, laughing, doing a bit of juggling or a dance here and there. A crowd of children and citizens brought up the rear, treating the acrobatsтАЩ wedding as just another show, although, in all fairness, Salamander and Marka seemed delighted to provide them with it. When they reached camp, he swept her out of the saddle and kissed her soundly. To the cheering of the crowd they held hands and bowed, while the rest of the troupe scurried round collecting the small coins that rained down upon the pair. Jill could only think that indeed, Salamander had found himself a perfect wife. Toward evening, however, Jill dragged him away from the dancing and music. In the lengthening shadows they walked together among the palms at the edge of the campground. A sunset wind was springing up, sending drifts of dusts across the dead-flat plains. тАЬSomewhat I wanted to ask you,тАЭ Jill said in Deverrian. тАЬWhen you agreed to come to Bardek with me, was it mostly on the hope of finding Alaena again?тАЭ тАЬI cannot tell a lie. Indeed it was.тАЭ Jill snorted profoundly, realizing even as she did it that she sounded just like Nevyn. тАЬBut, Jill, it all worked out for the best, didnтАЩt it now? Have I not been your guide, your escort, your loyal companion and faithful dog, even, while at the same time rescuing my beloved from a life of virtual slavery to her bestial father?тАЭ тАЬIt was Keeta who did the rescuing. You were just the bait.тАЭ тАЬImph, well, I suppose so, but how crudely you put things sometimes.тАЭ тАЬMy heart bleeds. On the morrow weтАЩre going to find a ship for Anmurdio and get on with our search and thatтАЩs that.тАЭ тАЬIтАЩve already found the ship.тАЭ He favored her with a brilliant grin. тАЬWe had to wait a fair bit down at the archonтАЩs palace, and there was a shipтАЩs captain waiting there as well to register his last cargo, and so lo and behold! A deal was struck.тАЭ And that was the worst of Salamander, Jill reflected. Just when you were about to allow yourself the |
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