"Lawhead, Stephen - Albion 02 - The Silver Hand" - читать интересную книгу автора (Lawhead Stephen)

cunning ways. Do not think to deceive me."

"Why speak of deception, Meldron?" I asked.

"You are surrounded by wise advisers," I told him, watching Siawn
twitching with malice.

"Could it be that you do not trust them?"

"I trust the blade in my hand," the prince spat.

"I trust my war-band. Better the company of warriors, than the empty
words of a hard."

Having pressed the matter too far, Meidron did not know how to retreat
with dignity. Rather than embrace Llew, which would have increased his
own support-for clearly, the people esteemed Liew greatly-he chose to
mock and revile.

The prince turned to all those gathered close about.

"Liew has returned! We have nothing to fear, now that my father's
champion is once more among us." He spoke with undisguised contempt.
He slowly raised an accusing finger and pointed at Llew.

"Yet I cannot help thinking," he continued, "that if Llew had honored
the king as highly as he claims, Meldryn Mawr would yet walk among us.
How is it that the king lies dead and his champion lives?"

What the prince hoped to accomplish by this rash speech, I knew well
enough: to poison the people's good feeling towards Llew. Apparently,
he thought that casting doubt upon Llew's loyalty and ability would aid
him. But, instead of sowing doubt, all he managed was confusion.

The people looked at one another in bewilderment.

"What is Meldron saying? It was LIew who saved us from the Coranyid!"
Several even protested outright:

"Paladyr killed the king! Paladyr it was-not Liew!" they shouted.

Yes, I thought, Paladyr killed the king. And where is Paladyr now?

But I held my tongue. If suspicion is to be loosed, let it roost in
Prince Meldron's roof, I thought. Oh, but it is a chancy thing to
malign a hero who has rightly earned the clan's affection. Meidron
showed poor judgment in the attempt, and people have a way of
remembering these insults and redressing them.

Having done all he dared for the time being, Meldron called for the