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

king is more than a war leader.

Who is worthy to be king? I thought. Ollathir, my teacher and my
guide, what would you have me do? Speak to me, old friend, as you did
in former times. Give your Fiidh benefit of your sage wisdom. I wait
on your word, Wise Counsellor. Instruct me in the way that I should
go... But Ollathir was dead, like so many of Prydain's proud sons, his
voice but an echo fading in the memory. Alas, his awen had passed out
of this worlds-realm, and I must find my way alone. Very well, I
thought, turning to my task at last. I am a hard, and I can do all
that a true hard can do.

I placed a fold of my cloak over my head and raised my staff high.

"Son of Tegvan, son of Teithi, son of Talaryant, a hard and the son of
bards, I am Tegid Tathal. Listen to me!"

I spoke boldly, knowing there were some who would rather I remained
silent.

"Most mournful of men am I, for the lord who upheld me has been
wickedly killed. Meldryn Mawr is dead. And I see nothing before me
but death and darkness. Our shining son is stolen from us. Our king
lies stiff and cold in his turf house, and treachery sits in the place
of honor.

"It is the Day of Strife! Let all men look to the edge of the sword
for their protection. The Paradise War is begun; the sound of warfare
will be heard in the land as Ludd and Nudd battle one another for the
kingship of Albion."

"Doomsayer!" Meidron shouted, thrusting his way through the crowd. He
had dressed himself in his father's clothing-siarc, breecs, and buskins
of crimson edged in gold. He wore Meldryn Mawr's gold knife and belt
of gold discs fine as fish-scales. And, as if this were not enough, he
had bound back his tawny hair that everyone might see the king's golden
tore around his throat.

My words had found their mark. Meldron was angry. His jaw bulged and
his eyes glinted like chips of flint in the torchlight. Siawn Hy,
Meldron's champion, sleekly dark and smooth-faced, followed at his
lord's right hand.

"Tegid is confused. Pay him no heed," Meldron cried.

"He does not know what he is saying."

The Liwyddi murmured uncertainly and Meidron rounded on me.

"Why are you doing this, hard? Why must you persist in frightening