"Katherine Kurtz - Camber 3 - Camber the Heretic" - читать интересную книгу автора (Kurtz Katherine)

He that loveth his son causeth him oft to feel the rod, that he may have joy of
him in the end.
тАФEcclesiasticus 30:1


By midafternoon, Jebediah was finally able to make his way to what was still
called the royal nursery, though its young charges had long ago outgrown the
term, at least in their own minds. He had meant to get there earlier, while the
boys ate their noon meal, so he would disrupt their routine as little as possible,
but half a dozen urgent matters had suddenly presented themselves for
solution almost the instant he left the royal apartments, and he was several
hours finding answers. All of the problems seemed as urgent as his officers said
they were, but he could not help noticing the timing. He hoped that it was only
his imagination that Murdoch, Rhun, and Udaut all seemed to have such
convenient crises which only he could resolve.
In any case, the royal nursery was very quiet when he arrived, and he could
tell by his reception that his visit was neither expected nor welcome. In the
large dayroom, huddled by one of the two great fireplaces, he found Crown
Prince Alroy still at his books with his tutor, though it was usual for formal
studies to be finished by this time of day. Brother Valerian, the boys' Latin
master, was standing over Alroy with a very stern mien, emphatically pointing
out the correct translation of the military commentary which Alroy apparently
was supposed to have prepared for the day's lesson and had not.
Alroy smiled tentatively when he saw Jebediah come in, for the earl marshal
was something of a hero to the sickly lad, but Brother Valerian immediately
whacked the scroll beside Alroy's hands with a willow switch and pointed to the
text. Jebediah had the distinct impression that it would have been Alroy's
fingers and not the scroll which would have gotten whacked, had the marshal
not been present. He supposed such discipline was necessary but he felt sorry
for young Alroy, all the same.
By contrast, Rhys Michael, youngest of the three princes, had been allowed
to set up his toy knights and archers in the previous day's ashes at the edge of
the other hearth, and was confidently explaining deployments and troop
movements to another boy whom Jebediah did not recognize. Rhys seemed
sunny-dispositioned and content; and a quick perusal of the strategy he was
explaining to his classmate caused Jebediah to raise an eyebrow in surprised
approval. It was the classic battle of Rhorau, and the boy's words and gestures
showed that he even understood it! The lad definitely had a head for military
tactics.
A somewhat more involved procedure was required for locating the third
prince. Jebediah did not see him at first, and was loath to ask for fear of
bringing on reprisals after he was gone. Judging from what he had seen of
Alroy's treatment, that appeared to be within the realm of possibility.
 He had traversed nearly the length of the chamber, inspecting several other
clusters of young boys and their school masters, before he spied Javan sitting
on a bench in the window alcove across the room, next to a grisaille window
which looked out onto the winter-dead garden. A large tree just outside the
window cast an eerie network of shadows upon the prince and the young man