"Katherine Kerr - Deverry 06 - A Time Of Omens" - читать интересную книгу автора (Kerr Katherine)

тАЬIf a riddle has an answer, itтАЩs a riddle no more.тАЭ

Simply because she was indeed very tired, she dropped the subject and let him lead her into the pavilion.
Their seats, couches on which they could semirecline, stood at the head of the hall. She sank gratefully
onto the soft cushions and accepted a golden goblet of mead from a page. As always, the mead and the
bread seemed real to her fingers and her taste, solid and so delicious that she realized how hungry she
was after the long ride. While they ate, various members of the Host would come to Evandar and talk in
low voices, reporting things theyтАЩd seen, apparently. Harpers played nearby in long, sad harmonies, while
young voices sang, until at last, she slept.

2.

The Prince of Swords
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The Westlands, Autumn, 1112

Out on the high plains the elven leader with the most authorityтАФand the largest warband for that
matterтАФwas Calonderiel, Banadar of the Eastern Border, and yet, as Deverry men reckoned such
things, his claim to power rested on an oddly weak foundation. He was descended from nobody in
particular and related to no one muchтАФjust the son of a horse herder who was the son of a weaver who
was the son of a prosperous farmer back in the old days when the elves lived settled lives in their own
kingdom in the far west. No one had ever accused his family of having any connection whatsoever to the
noble-born or the renowned. He was, of course, the best archer, the shrewdest tactician, and one of the
most respected leaders of men that the high plains had ever seen, and those things, among the People,
outweighed any questions of kinship. Despite that, Rhodry ap Devaberiel was continually amazed that
Calonderiel would hold such easy authority without a grumble from anyone. He himself was second in
command of the banadarтАЩs warband, and since heтАЩd sworn to serve him, he personally would never have
argued with a single order or decision his leader made. It was just that, at odd moments, he puzzled
about it, or even, Calonderiel being the kind of man he was, felt he could wonder about it aloud.

тАЬAnd now this Aledeldar shows up for the autumn meeting,тАЭ Rhodry remarked. тАЬWhat if he and his son
decide to ride with us? DoesnтАЩt it trouble you?тАЭ

тАЬWhy should it?тАЭ Calonderiel looked up in surprise. тАЬSomething wrong with him?тАЭ

тАЬNot as far as I can see. ItтАЩs just that heтАЩs the king, isnтАЩt he? Well, the only one you peopleтАФwe, I
meanтАФhave. ThereтАЩs bound to be trouble over it. One wagon but two teamsters makes for a rough
journey.тАЭ

Calonderiel merely laughed. It was late in the evening, and wrapped in woolen cloaks, they were sitting
together in front of the banadarтАЩs enormous tent. Among the other tents (and there were over two
hundred of them), everything was dark and silent, broken only by the occasional bark of a dog or cry of
a hungry baby, hushed as fast as the echo died.

тАЬWell, it wonтАЩt be so funny when he starts countermanding your orders.тАЭ