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

understand what was happening, but clearly they did not like it.

"Llew!" I cried, sweeping the spears aside with the butt of my
staff.

"Hail, Liew!" I raised my staff and called to the crowd.

"The champion has returned! Hail him, everyone!"

The Llwyddi cried out with a mighty voice. Llew turned his eyes to the
people gathered all around, torches held high, peering expectantly at
him. It came to me that Llew did not know what his appearance meant to
those looking on: Meidryn's champion emerging from the Hero Mound. A
dead king had gone into the dark portal, a living man had come
out-mysteriously, inexplicably, yet in full sight of all: an Otherworld
hero declaring his equality with the king we had just buried.

Before Meldron could react, I raised my hands for silence and said,
"The king is dead, brother, but you are alive. You are back among your
people, and that is cause for celebration."

The people greeted this with loud approval. Meidron's frown deepened
as he sensed his moment slipping away. He had exaggerated his support,
and underestimated the people's regard for Llew.

Still he sought to recapture the advantage.

"What do you mean, coming here like this?" he demanded.

"I have come to honor the king," replied LIew slowly. His eyes flicked
from the prince to Siawn Hy. Something passed between Siawn and Liew
that I did not understand. But I saw Siawn bristling with anger, and
Liew's face harden once more as resolve returned.

"And to do something I should have done long ago."

"You speak of honor," Meidron sneered, "but you steal it from the
dead."

"Llew was the king's champion," I declared- thinking it prudent to
remind everyone that Meldryn Mawr had chosen Llew for this honor; it
was the king's final act, and the one which had caused his death.

"Who would deny the king's champion the right to pay homage to his
lord?"

"You are not in authority here, hard!" Meidron said, his voice
vengeful and brimming with spite.

"You and your kind may have deceived my father with your sly words and