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

boy who seemed half a sorcerer himself, that he should ride in so suddenly and conquer them all without
even unsheathing his sword.

тАЬMen,тАЭ Maryn was saying. тАЬFor this day I was born. For this day we were all born. This is the
beginning. Some fine day thereтАЩll be a true king on the throne in Dun Deverry, and all the kingdom will be
at peace. For the kingdomтАЩs sake far more than mine, letтАЩs every one of us pray that day will come
soon.тАЭ

When the cheers broke out again, a near-demented howling, BellyraтАЩs fear turned to blind panic. No
one noticed as she left the table and made her way through the shadows on the dais and slipped out the
little door that led to a corridor. She stood in the darkness for a moment and felt the walls around her
trembling from the cheers as if the very dun were in ecstasy at the coming of the king. Then she bolted,
running down the corridor and up the stairs at the far end, round and round, up and up, until at last she
could plunge panting into the safety of the nursery and her silence.

Out of habit some servant had lit the candles in the wall sconces and laid her childlike supper out on her
writing desk: a bowl of bread and milk, another of dried apples soaked in watered wine and honey.
Bellyra took the bread and milk to Melynna, then sat on the floor nearby and watched her eat. The catтАЩs
sides bulged, and she stood all spraddle-legged to lap her meal.

тАЬYou know what, Melynna? The kingтАЩs here. His nameтАЩs Maryn.тАЭ

She actually looked up, licking her whiskers briefly, before she went back to work on the milk.

тАЬSoon IтАЩll be married, I suppose. And then one day IтАЩll look like you do now. IтАЩll only have one kit at a
time, though. IтАЩll bet men would like it if women could have litters like you do. TheyтАЩd know straightaway
how many heirs theyтАЩd have.тАЭ

All at once she realized that she was crying. Even as she sobbed, she wondered at herself, that she
would weep. Maryn was handsome, young, awe-inspiring, far more wonderful than she had any right to
expectтАФshe had never allowed herself to hope for so much, even to dream of so much in her husband.
HeтАЩll never love someone like me, she thought, thatтАЩs why IтАЩm crying.

тАЬYour Highness!тАЭ It was NevynтАЩs voice, soft and sympathetic, from the doorway. тАЬWhatтАЩs so wrong?тАЭ

тАЬHeтАЩll never love me, but heтАЩll have to marry me anyway.тАЭ

Although the room was all swimmy from her tears she could see the honest pity on the old manтАЩs face as
he walked over, hesitated, then sat down next to her on the floor. Melynna looked up and went tense;
normally she ran from everyone but Bellyra, but when Nevyn held out his hand, she sniffed his fingers,
considered for a moment, then went back to slurping up the milk. Nevyn pulled an old rag out of his
brigga pocket and handed it to Bellyra as solemnly as a courtier would hand over a square of fine linen.
She blew her nose, wiped her face, and still felt completely miserable.

тАЬYour Highness, Maryn is never going to love any woman, but heтАЩll grow fond of you. IтАЩm sorry from
the bottom of my heart, but thatтАЩs the way it will be. His one true love will always be the land and people