"Mercedes Lackey - Heralds of Valdemar 3 - Arrow's Fall" - читать интересную книгу автора (Lackey Mercedes)

Queen's) Own." Chosen by a special CompanionтАФone that was always a stallion,
and never seemed to age (though it was possible to kill him) тАФthe King's Own
held the special position of confidant and most trusted friend and advisor to
the ruler. This

12 Mercedes Lackey

guaranteed that the Monarchs of Valdemar would always have at least one person
about them who could be trusted and counted on at all times. This tended to
make for stable and confident rulersтАФand thus, a stable and dependable
government.

It seemed for generations that King Valdemar had planned his government
perfectly. But the best-laid plans can still be circumvented by accident or
chance.

In the reign of King Sendar, the kingdom of Karse (that bordered Valdemar to
the south-east) hired a nomadic nation of mercenaries to attack Valdemar. In
the ensuing war, Sendar was killed, and his daughter, Selenay, assumed the
throne, herself having only recently completed her Herald's training. The
Queen's Own, an aged Herald called Talamir, was frequently confused and
embarrassed by having to advise a young, headstrong, and attractive female. As
a result, Selenay made an ill-advised marriage, one that nearly cost her both
her throne and her life.

The issue of that marriage, the Heir-presumptive, was a female child Selenay
called Elspeth. Elspeth came under the influence of a foreignerтАФthe nurse
Hulda, whom Selenay's husband had arranged before he died to be brought from
his own land. As a result of Hulda's manipulations, Elspeth became an
intractable, spoiled brat. It became obvious that if things went on as they
were tending, the girl would never be Chosen, and thus, could never inherit.
This would leave Selenay with three choices; marry again (with the attendant
risks) and attempt to produce another, more suitable Heir, or declare someone
already Chosen and with the proper bloodline to be Heir. Or, somehow, salvage
the Heir-presumptive. Talamir had a planтАФone that it seemed had a good chance
of success.

At this point Talamir was murdered, throwing the situation into confusion
again. His Companion, Rolan, Chose a new Queen's OwnтАФbut instead of picking an
adult or someone already a full Herald, he Chose an adolescent girl named
Talia.

Talia was of HolderkinтАФa puritanical Border group which did its best to
discourage knowledge of outsiders.

ARROWS FALL 13

Talia had no idea what it meant to have a Herald's Companion accost her, and
then (apparently) carry her off. Among her people, females held very
subordinate positions, and nonconformity was punished immediately and harshly.