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

тАЬIt is the king┬┤s command,тАЩ Rhys Michael said evenly, fighting back the panic he dared not allow himself
to show-for it frightened him that Alroy himself had indicated that he might not last much past dawn.
тАЬFurthermore, it is the king┬┤s command that our brother be summoned now. If you are unwilling to do it,
then I shall do it myself. Guard!тАЩ he called.
He was already moving toward the door to the outer corridor before any of the three truly believed he
was going to do it. Only just in time did Earl Tammaron grab young Iver┬┤s arm and stop him from trying
to physically prevent the prince from leaving, earning the earl a sparse nod of acknowledgment from Rhys
Michael and Iver a raking glance of disdain.
тАЬI suggest that you tread very softly, Iver MacInnis,тАЩ the prince said in a low voice, as the outer door
opened to admit a guard liveried in Haldane crimson. тАЬAnd if ever you dare to lay hands upon our royal
person, I promise that you shall not live long to regret the impertinence.тАЩ
Eyes as cold as only Haldane anger could make them, he turned back to the guard before giving Iver a
chance to reply, pushing past when he saw who it was, for he doubted that most of the ordinary guards
would take important orders from him without confirmation of one of the lords of state. He needed one
of the younger knights.
Quickly he glanced down the corridor outside. In the open passage beyond, which linked this wing of the
castle with the next, perhaps a dozen lesser gentlemen of the court were lounging along the arched
colonnade that faced the castle gardens, some awaiting word of the king, others simply seeking the
promise of cooler air from the gardens beyond. Among them was a man whom Rhys Michael thought
certain he could trust.
тАЬSir Charlan!тАЩ he called, raising a hand in summons as the young man rose at the sound of his name.
Nearly three years before, when Javan Haldane had withdrawn from public life to test a possible religious
vocation-for so had been the official explanation-Charlan Kai Morgan had been the last squire to serve
him. Despite the petty spying required of all the royal squires by the regents-and the squires had been
quite open about telling their royal masters what they had been ordered to do-there had been mutual
respect and genuine liking between squire and master. Though Charlan had readily accepted his transfer
into the king┬┤s household for the remaining two years before his knighting, Rhys Michael knew from
talking to his own former squire, Sir Tomais, that Charlan still spoke fondly of his former master. Alroy
had knighted both young men at the previous year┬┤s Christmas Court.
Now, as the young knight approached, blond head bobbing in respect, Rhys Michael wondered whether
Charlan would dare to assert, as a man, that old loyalty he had shown to Javan as a squire. The regents
were regents no longer, and all answered to a king now two years come into his majority-even if that king
was dying.
тАЬYou wish something, your Highness?тАЩ Charlan said.
тАЬYes, I do.тАЩ Rhys Michael pitched his voice so that it could be heard by the others drifting closer, so that
there would be witnesses. тАЬWhat is more important, your king wishes something, on behalf of your future
king.тАЩ Let his other listeners take that as they wished.
тАЬThe king desires that Prince Javan be summoned to court immediately.тАЩ He watched Charlan┬┤s face light
at those words and knew he had chosen the right man. тАЬTherefore, you are to take a dozen knights as
escort, mount yourself and them on the fastest horses in the royal stables, and proceed with all haste to
Arx Fidei Abbey, where you will escort His Royal Highness back to Rhemuth with all possible speed.тАЩ
He pulled the silver signet from the little finger of his left hand, the seal with the Haldane arms differenced
by the label of a third son, and put it in the hand that Charlan held out to receive it.
тАЬThis will be your authority to procure whatever is necessary for your journey,тАЩ he said. тАЬKnow that you
travel with my goodwill as well as that of the king. And if my brother should question that this is, indeed,
my desire-тАЩ He faltered briefly as he considered, then reached to his right earlobe. тАЬI bid you give him
this.тАЩ
Quickly he removed the earring of twisted gold, mate to one that Javan himself once had worn-though
Javan had been forced to put aside both his earring and his signet when he entered the abbey. Javan
would recognize it, though-and that his brother would not part with his unless there were dire cause, for