"Boreal Moon - 02 - Ironcrown Moon" - читать интересную книгу автора (May Julian)

УCome, sit here and tell me.Ф She poured him a cup of tea from the steaming pot on the hob.
Liscanor Northkeep had the same bright auburn hair as his sister, but otherwise they were unalike. She was beautiful and regal in demeanor, even in her torn and dirtied peasant garb, while he had a body like a barrel, arms so heavily muscled that they hunched his shoulders, and a pitted, truffle-nosed face that was almost ogrish in its spectacular homeliness. Only his voice belied his unsightly appearance: it was deep, resonant, and cultured.
УMaudie, my dear, thereТs magical mischief brewing,Ф he said, shaking his head. УMy windvoice, Kalymor, told me heТd been forbidden by the High Shaman to bespeak any message of mine to anyone. I threatened him with a beating, then with banishment, but he wouldnТt budge. He said Red Ansel would do worse to him if he disobeyed, and no other shaman in the demesne of Northkeep would transmit messages for me, either. TheyТre to keep silence for a tennight!Ф
УI suppose it was to be expected,Ф Maudrayne said, resigned.
But LiscanorТs sea-blue eyes glistened with triumph. УThereТs more than one way to skin a hare, Sister! On the outskirts of town lives a renegade hedge-wizard called Blind Bozuk, who owes no allegiance to Ansel and his high-flown kind. He sells love-philtres and fake talismans and other rubbish to gullible souls, but heТs also a genuine wind adept.Ф
УI know of him. He supplied Lukort Waterfall with charms to counter the magical defenses of the sea-hag.Ф
УI rode out myself to this rogueТs hovel and gave him ten gold marks to bespeak a message to our uncle Sernin. While I stood there, Bozuk contacted his great and good friend Yavenis, an outcast witch of Donorvale. She supposedly delivered my message to the High Sealord in person.Ф
УSupposedly,Ф Maude said. УWhat was the message?Ф
УIt was simple and discreet: СCome at once to Northkeep in your fastest ship, with your most trusted men.ТФ
УAh. Very good.Ф She ventured a smile.
УWeТll set sail ourselves at once in my frigate Gayora, and rendezvous with Sernin on the high seas. Then you shall tell your two great secrets to both of us.Ф
УI think I must tell them to you now.Ф She had made the decision on the spur of the moment, prompted by a growing certainty that Ansel was going to intervene somehow, and she would never reach Donorvale. УSomeone must know, in case something happens to meЕ and to my dear little son.Ф
УSon!Ф Liscanor exclaimed. УGreat God, are you sayingЧФ
УThe fair-haired lad Dyfrig is not the child of my servant. HeТs mineЧthe firstborn son of Conrig Wincantor and heir to the Sovereignty according to ancient Cathran law. Furthermore, this High King who has forced Tarn into vassalage reigns under false pretences. He is a man having arcane talent, ineligible to sit his throne.Ф
Liscanor stared at her in thunderstruck consternation, deprived of speech.
УMy servant Rusgann is a witness to DyfrigТs birth. She and many others in Gala know I was a faithful wife who never cohabited with any man save my husband. Dyfrig is the very image of Conrig. The kingТs talent will be much harder to prove, since it is extremely meager and imperceptible to the usual methods of detection. My own testimony would not suffice, and the Conjure-Queen of Moss, who also knows about it, may refuse to speak. But I suspect that Lord Stergos, ConrigТs Royal Alchymist and his brother, must know the truth as well. He is a man of scrupulous honor, who would keep ConrigТs secret only passively, by not volunteering the information. If he were put under solemn oath and questioned, he would not lie.Ф
The stalwart sealordТs face was ashen and he was wringing his hands like a woebegone maiden. УOh, Maudie, this is awful news indeed! I hardly know what to say! IТm only a simple north coast sea-dog and these are state secrets of the most devastating kindЧФ
УGuard them with your life, then. But never hesitate to reveal them to Uncle Sernin and the Company of Equals if I cannot.Ф She rose from her seat. УNow we must leave Northkeep without delay. ThereТs more than Ansel to be concerned about. That villain Lukort Waterfall was probably planning to sell me to Conrig Wincantor. Who can say whether he told the magicker Blind Bozuk about me when he purchased charms from him?Ф
Liscanor looked guilty and ashamed. УGod help us if IТve placed you in danger, Sister. I never thought of such a thing when I went to the whoreson, thinking how clever I was. Forgive me!Ф
УDear Liscanor, thereТs nothing to forgive.Ф She kissed his weather-roughened cheek. УHow long before we can sail?Ф
УLess than an hour. IТve already given orders to prepare the ship. Her officers were all here at the feast, and her crew resides in town.Ф
УThen letТs fetch my son and my servant, and get on board without further delay.Ф
==========
It was after midnight when they left the castle and went on foot to the berth where the frigate was tied up. Seamen and housecarls in castle livery were still carrying chests and kegs of supplies aboard, and dozens of shadowy shapes were moving on the upper decks and in the rigging. Rain slanted sharply down, blown by a chill wind. It was very dark.
Liscanor went to confer with the officer who stood at the foot of the gangplank, then quickly returned. УIТm told that the cabin being prepared for the three of you is not quite ready,Ф he said. УI must go aboard Gayora and do a final tour of inspection. ItТs no place for you, with men rushing about on last-minute shipТs business. Why not wait in that covered area, beside the large warehouse nigh to the curtain wall? ItТs dry there, and the torches give plenty of light. IТll send one of the shipТs boys for you as soon as I can.Ф
He went off, cloak flapping like the wings of a very stout bat, and Maudrayne and Rusgann moved over the wet cobblestones into the sheltered place. The maidservant carried DyfrigТs well-wrapped body over her shoulder.
УHe still sleeps?Ф Maudrayne asked, lifting her sonТs hood.
УNever woke, even when I dressed him in the new clothes Lady Freda gave us. He was too sleepy to eat much, and so was I. CanТt say IТm happy to set out to sea again on such a raw night, but itТs for the best.Ф
УI hope so. No sooner do we reach a place of safety, than we must leave it.Ф Her eyes roamed over the other vessels and small craft tied up at adjacent slips. УLukort WaterfallТs boat Scoter is gone. My brother must have had it moved across the harbor basin to the fishermenТs wharf to divert suspicion. Still, numbers of people must have seen us bring her in besides the dockboy Eselin. One of them might have talked about us to Blind Bozuk, even if Lukort didnТt.Ф
УYouТve got no good reason to think Lukort told the magicker about us,Ф Rusgann said crossly. УStop worrying.Ф
УPerhaps the hedge-wizard wouldnТt sell Lukort the special charms unless he told why he wanted them. Sneaking into the sea-hagТs steading is hardly the usual thiefТs job of work! Information about me would bring a pretty sum from ConrigТs Tarnian spies. You could trust a person like Bozuk to know who they are.Ф
УWeТll be away from here soon, my lady. Then BozukТs tittle-tattle wonТt be worth two groats in a dunghill.Ф
The sound of clopping hooves echoed among the warehouses, almost drowned out by the increasing noise from the ship. УSomeoneТs coming,Ф Maudrayne said. УThere. A covered wagon drawn by two mules. Perhaps itТs the last batch of supplies that my brotherТs been waiting for.Ф
They watched the wagonТs approach without curiosity. Then a small figure came rushing down the shipТs gangplank and trotted toward them across the wet pavement.
Rusgann heaved a sigh of satisfaction. УAbout time! HereТs the shipТs boy.Ф
He was about twelve years old, clad in oilskins, and bowed smartly from the waist. УMy ladies! Sealord Liscanor bids you kindly come aboard, for we cast off immediately.Ф
The muleteer had drawn up a few ells away, and after setting the brake on his rig, climbed down and approached them with a casual wave of his hand. He wore a waterproof hooded longcoat slit up the back, and all that could be seen of his face was teeth gleaming in a wide grin.
УWhat do you want, my man?Ф Maudrayne asked irritably, when he blocked their way to the ship. УWe have no time for you.Ф
УMaudie, Maudie. You have all the time in the world.Ф
She opened her mouth to scream for help, but no sound emerged. In fact, she was frozen to the spot in mid-gape, like some ridiculous statue. Rusgann and the shipТs boy were similarly immobilized.
Red Ansel Piken lifted Dyfrig from RusgannТs unresisting arms, carried him to the covered wagon, and stowed him inside.
No, Maudrayne thought. No, no, no. Not after we have come so far and endured so much!
The huge castle and the rainswept dock with its flaming torches seemed to fade to a foggy blur as tears of rage and helplessness filled her eyes. She strained to cry out as Ansel returned and led Rusgann away, docile as a sheep, and assisted her into the wagon. Maudrayne was powerless against the shamanТs sorcery just as sheТd always been. HeТd do whatever he wanted with them. Use her and poor little Dyfrig any way he chose.
He came to her and took her arm, and she was able to walk but could not speak. Across the gleaming stones, up a short ladder, and into the back of the wagon she went. It was filled with straw and numbers of bundles. Rusgann and Dyfrig lay covered with blankets, apparently asleep. Ansel soon had her bedded down as well, then closed the tailgate, put the ladder inside, and laced shut the canvas cover.
He returned to the paralyzed shipТs boy, who was still poised in an attitude of confusion. At AnselТs touch, the lad looked about wildly. Only gibberish came from his mouth.
УYour power of speech will return once youТre back on the ship,Ф the shaman said. УYouТre to tell Lord Liscanor that the two women and the child are safe aboard in their cabin. YouТll remember nothing at all of me or what happened here. Now go.Ф
Ansel went back to the wagon and climbed into the driverТs seat. After arranging his coat to keep the worst of the rain off, he released the brake, cracked the whip over the mules, and set off for the road that led east, away from the sea and into the Stormland wilderness of Tarn.

seven
Arise, Kilian Slackhorse. Arise and don your robes. By order of Abbas Noachil, you must leave this chamber and accompany us to a more secure accommodation.У