"Mercedes Lackey - Last Herald Mage 2 - Magic's Promise" - читать интересную книгу автора (Lackey Mercedes)

and Lineas - may the gods help us - I have seen far too much of conflict of
late. I was praying for some peace, and now you tell me we may have a
Situation on our very doorstep. Unless Randale asks me to intervene, there
isn't much I can do. Let us hope it doesn't come to that. I promise I will try to
put some sense into Meke's head about that as well; perhaps when he has
heard some of what I have seen, a war will no longer seem quite so attractive.
Perhaps when he sees some of what war has done to me-| no, Father, I was
not badly hurt, but I picked up an injury or two that left scars. It may be that
will impress him.
He closed his eyes and carefully picked out the least loaded words he
could think of for the next sentence. When he thought he had it, he
concentrated on setting it carefully down on the paper so that there could be
no mistake.
With regard to my - friends; I promised you ten years ago that I would
never indulge in anything that you did not approve of or that made you
uncomfortable under your roof. Do you still find it so difficult to believe that I
would keep my word?
He nobly refrained from adding тАЬOdd, no one else seems to have that
problem.тАЭ That would not serve any purpose, and would only make his father
guilty, and then angry.
 I do have a request to make of you, and a reminder of a promise you
made to me at the same time. You pledged to keep Mother from flinging
young women at me - under other conditions I would not feel that I needed to
remind you of this promise, but I truly cannot handle that particular situation
this time, Father. I'm exhausted; you can't know how exhausted. All I really
want is some peace, some quiet time to rest and catch up with the family
matters. Please do me this one small favor; I don't think it's too much to ask.
Yours, Vanyel.
He folded the letter and sealed it quickly, before he had a chance to add a
postscript to that temptingly empty space at the bottom. All I want from you
and Mother is to be left alone. I need that rest. Before I fall on my face.
He picked up the second letter, and heaved a sigh of relief. Liss. Oh, bless
you, big sister. My antidote to Father.
To Herald-Mage Vanyel Ashkevron from Guard - Captain Lissa
Ashkevron: Dearest Van - if half of what I've been hearing about you is true,
I'm tempted to abandon my command and kidnap you and hide you
someplace until you've had some rest! Thank the gods somebody saw
enough reason to give you a leave! And before you bleat to me about тАЬduty,тАЭ
just you remember that if you kill yourself with overwork you won't be around
to do that duty!
Vanyel smiled, biting his lip to keep from chuckling. Good old Liss!
I should tell you what's going on out here, since you may be riding right
into another hotbed of trouble. Deveran of Lineas has disinherited his eldest.
The boy supposedly has mage-power, which, since his mother does not, is
being read that he is probably a bastard. The Uneans in any case are not
likely to allow anyone with Mage-Gifts to rule over them-but this Tashir is
altogether too like his Uncle Vedricfor comfort. And Vedric is protesting the
tacit slur on his тАЬgood nameтАЭ - not that he has one - and is being backed by
the entire Mavelan Clan. I suppose it is a bit much to imply that your brother-
in-law was fornicating with his own sister before your marriage to her. Havens