"Katherine Kurtz - Heirs 02 - King Javan's Year" - читать интересную книгу автора (Kurtz Katherine)

тАЬYou┬┤re here,тАЩ he said weakly. тАЬI┬┤m glad. But where is Javan? I have to see him.тАЩ
Rhys Michael swallowed once, the sound almost startling in the still, heavy night, and ducked his head
over the hand he held cradled to his chest.
тАЬHe┬┤s at Arx Fidei, in the seminary,тАЩ he murmured. тАЬYou know that.тАЩ
тАЬBut he┬┤s my heir,тАЩ Alroy insisted, wide, drug-dilated eyes searching his brother┬┤s face. тАЬI┬┤m dying-тАЩ
тАЬNo, you┬┤re not!тАЩ
тАЬRhysem, I am,тАЩ Alroy went on, reverting to the pet name that had developed between them these last
few years. тАЬI┬┤m going to die, and there┬┤s nothing that the stupid court physicians or even our good
Master Oriel can do to prevent it.тАЩ His eyes flicked briefly to Oriel, who hung his head in helplessness.
тАЬDon┬┤t you remember how our father went?тАЩ
As the king paused to stifle a cough with his free hand, his exertion already stirring up his illness, Oriel let
his left hand ease unobtrusively to the royal shoulder, where young Fulk hopefully would not notice,
daring to extend his powers just a little to give the king ease. At the same time, Rhys Michael tightened
his grip on the hand he held, trying to will strength across the link of their fraternal love. Whether from
that or from Oriel┬┤s ministrations, Alroy did manage to stop coughing.
тАЬI must see our brother before I die, Rhysem,тАЩ the king continued, when he had caught his breath. тАЬYou
must make them send for him.тАЩ
тАЬBut I can┬┤t. They┬┤ll never listen-тАЩ
тАЬThey┬┤ll listen if you insist,тАЩ Alroy said. тАЬYou┬┤re not a child anymore. You┬┤re nearly a year past your legal
majority. And if they should manage to bypass Javan and make you king-as is certainly their intention, if
you let them-then they┬┤ll have to answer to you in your full authority, without recourse to regents. Remind
them of that-and that Haldane memories are long!тАЩ
As Alroy had spoken, increasingly fighting to get each word out, a kind of hope had begun to light Rhys
Michael┬┤s eyes-for he truly did not want the crown that, by rights, should pass next to the king┬┤s twin.
тАЬYou┬┤re right,тАЩ he murmured. тАЬI am of age. They aren┬┤t our regents anymore. And if I did become king, I
could really make them sorry they┬┤d disobeyed me!тАЩ
тАЬWhereas, if they send for Javan,тАЩ Alroy rasped, тАЬas is my deathbed wish, the new king may be inclined
to be clement, whoever he may be.тАЩ Alroy coughed again, and Oriel knew he could not control it much
longer.
тАЬGo now,тАЩ Alroy gasped, around another cough. тАЬIf a rider leaves now, he can be back by dawn. I don┬┤t
know that I can last much past then.тАЩ
As coughing took him again, so that Oriel had to roll him on his side and then into a sitting position,
motioning for Fulk to bring more of the extract of poppies, a moist-eyed Rhys Michael gave his brother┬┤s
hand a final squeeze, then turned on his heels and fled. He drew himself up just before he got to the door,
pausing with both hands on the latch and head bowed for just a moment to draw deep breath and gird
himself for the confrontation ahead. Then he raised his head like the Haldane prince he was and pushed
down the latch, moving through and closing the door behind him before the three men waiting could even
get to their feet.
тАЬThe king commands that our brother Javan be summoned,тАЩ he said, his face taut but composed. тАЬThis is
my command, as well. And before you consider defying the command of a dying king,тАЩ he added,
holding up a hand to still the objection already forming on the lips of young Iver MacInnis, тАЬconsider
whether you also wish to defy the man you desire to have as your next king. For if I should ever become
king, gentlemen-though that is not my desire-I assure you that I shall not forget this night.тАЩ
As he looked pointedly past Iver at Earl Tammaron and Iver┬┤s uncle the archbishop, the rotund Hubert
bit at his rosebud lips and made a short little bow.
тАЬThe king┬┤s wish is our command, of course, your Highness, but is it altogether wise to drag your royal
brother from his studies? The king is not yet in danger of death; he has not requested the Last Rites. With
all due respect, these final days could drag on for weeks or even months, as was the case for your
Highness┬┤ sainted father. Time enough, in due time, to send for Prince Javan, if that is still the king┬┤s
desire.тАЩ