"Katherine Kurtz - Kelson 4 - King Kelson's Bride" - читать интересную книгу автора (Kurtz Katherine)

Camber himself.
тАЬNeed I point out that the priesthood has been no bar to
Mearan pretensions in the past?тАЭ he asked. тАЬWitness the
Prince-Bishop Judhael, whom Kelson finally had to execute.
Furthermore, I think the king would be very wary of another


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motivation beyond mere motherly ambition, to see her
daughter make this particular match.тАЭ
тАЬAh, that girl!тАЭ Vivienne exclaimed, throwing up her
hands. тАЬWillful, even as a child!тАЭ
Dark-eyed Sofiana, sovereign princess in her own land of
Andelon, cast a faintly amused glance at the dismayed Sion.
тАЬYou must forgive Vivienne,тАЭ she said, not unkindly. тАЬIt
was something of a scandal at the time. I well remember the
gossip in my father's hall. Oksana Ramsay is distant kin to
Vivienne's late husband, and also to the Hort of Orsal's line.
That descent, while noble, was unlikely to attract a royal
match, but nonetheless she set her sights on first Brion and
then Nigel Haldane. Unfortunately, both princes chose
others. She has never forgotten the slight.тАЭ
Sion nodded. Himself an under-chancellor to the royal
House of Llannedd, he was currently dealing with another
headstrong young woman at home: the Princess Gwenlian,
half-sister to the King of Llannedd, unmarried and high-
spirited, who had already been discussed and not yet
discarded as a potential bride for Kelson.
тАЬI quite understand, now that you've explained,тАЭ he said.
тАЬBut she did marry well enough.тАЭ



9
 тАЬLet's move on,тАЭ said blind Barrett de Laney, the
Council's second coadjutor. тАЬWe've discussed this match
before. Laran, who is our next candidate?тАЭ
Laran ap Pardyce, serving as recorder for the proceeding,
consulted the parchment sheet before him, ticking off another
name. тАЬKelson's other cousin, Araxie Haldane,тАЭ he
announced.
Sion looked up sharply, lips pursing in a silent whistle,
but before he could speak, Vivienne shook her grey head.
тАЬI've said it before: a dangerous match,тАЭ she declared.
тАЬDouble-Haldane blood. Impossible to predict what the
children would be like.тАЭ
Sion cleared his throat, shrugging slightly as all eyes
turned toward him.
тАЬCourt gossip in Llannedd has it that, any day now, an
official announcement will be made of a betrothal between