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

Dear God! Was it possible that Rusgann had signaled Vik Waterfall to come ashore?
In her haste, she tripped and fell, spilling the contents of the basket into a tide pool. She muttered an oath and hurried to retrieve only the important thingsЧthe knife and the finely made wooden cupsЧthrusting them into the capacious pockets of the peasant apron that was part of her everyday garb at the steading. Unencumbered now, she scrambled over the rocks as fast as she could. Some of them were house-sized or even larger, with narrow gaps between them that had to be threaded with care. She was still unable to see much of the cove shoreline ahead, but she was encouraged by the occasional sight of footprints on patches of wet sand. Dyfrig and Rusgann had certainly come this way.
At last she came out onto the narrow beach and pulled up short.
About twenty ells away, a leather coracle was drawn up on the strand, one of the lightweight watercraft with whalebone frames that the smaller Tarnian sailing boats often used as tenders. Two men stood near it, hailing her approach with eager shouts. Rusgann sat on the pebble-strewn sand a short distance away from them, with her back pressed against a half-buried boulder and Dyfrig huddled against her skirts. The maidТs hair was disheveled and her face distorted by fury.
The older of the two men came striding toward Maudrayne, and her heart sank as she realized that he was not her affable old acquaintance Vik Waterfall but rather the latterТs younger brother Lukort, a character notorious in former years for his violent temper and unsavory dealings. Eleven years ago, the Waterfall clan had banished him for stealing lobsters from the traps of other fishermen. Yet here he was, wearing a skipperТs cap, in charge of his brotherТs boat.
Lukort Waterfall was sinewy, straggly-bearded, and not very tall. His eyes, almost as pale as a wolfТs, were close-set under bushy brows. He wore a vest of pieced and embroidered sealskin, canvas trousers cut off at the knees, a belt with a tarnished silver buckle, and high seaboots. His companion was a burly, oafish-looking youth with a soup-bowl haircut, a heavy jaw, and cheeks as smooth as a girlТs, clad in a homespun tunic and trews of undyed wool. His huge feet were bare.
УPrincess Maudie!Ф Lukort exclaimed, doffing his cap with a flourish and bowing deeply. УYou took long enough gettinС round the point. We feared you had a mishap.Ф
УMama!Ф Dyfrig screamed. УRun!Ф
Before her shocked mind could react, Lukort rapped out a command to the younger man, who darted to the boy, wrenched him away from Rusgann, and clapped a big hand over his mouth.
The maid sprang to her feet shrieking, УYou stinking whoreson, let him loose!Ф The youth fetched her a casual blow in the stomach with his fist and she fell moaning to the stony sand.
His mouth temporarily freed, Dyfrig again cried, УRun away, Mama!Ф
УDonТt move!Ф roared Lukort. A split second later his tone was wheedling and conciliatory. УBe easy now, princess. My son Vorgo and I wonТt hurt the wee smolt and we wonТt hurt youЕ So heТs your boy, is he? Well well! Yon wench said he was hers! A liar as well as a foul-mouthed hellcat, ainТt she?Ф
Vorgo smirked, keeping a firm hold on Dyfrig as he wriggled. Rusgann struggled to her feet and stood a few feet away from the pair. Her face was unreadable.
УI know you, Lukort Waterfall,Ф Maudrayne said in a stern voice. УHow dare you mistreat my child and my servant?Ф
УThe twitch needs to be taught good manners. Got a nasty mouth on her. As to the lad, no oneТs mistreatinС him. We just donТt want him runninТ off afore you and me have a chance to talk business.Ф
УBusiness?Ф Her mind was a turmoil of conflicting emotions. УWhat kind of business?Ф
УThe world thinks you be dead, princess. Your brother Liscanor was in a black rage when the news come to Northkeep. He tried to talk the other sealords into makinС war on Conrig Ironcrown to avenge the insult to you and your family. NothinТ came oС that. Tarn had too many other troubles, and now weТre part of the Sovereignty whether we like it or not.Ф He shrugged. УBut here you be, aliveЧthanks to the God of Heights and Depths!Чand with a fine young son to boot. Imagine that! How old would the little fella be? About four, eh?Ф
She said nothing, feeling the hairs at the back of her neck creep with apprehension. The crafty devil had guessed who DyfrigТs father must be.
Lukort murmured something to Vorgo, who hoisted the child to his shoulder and strode to where the coracle lay. He cut off a piece of line to bind DyfrigТs wrists, put him into the skin boat, and cast off, heading for the lugger anchored behind the small island.
The skipper beckoned to Maudrayne. УCome closer. No need to keep shoutinС one at tТother. DonТt worry about your lad. I told my son to take special good care oТ him.Ф
She came slowly towards Lukort, stopping well out of easy reach. It would not do to underestimate the cleverness of this villain. She spoke to the maid. УAre you badly hurt, Rusgann?Ф
УNay, my lady. The young lout only punched the breath out of me. The lad and I came on the two men here when we rounded the point. Dyfi was all happy and excited, but I warned him he must say nothing at all until we knew they intended no evil. This Lukort was polite enough at first, asked if I knew the Lady Maudrayne Northkeep who lived nearby with the sea-hag. Said he was one of Lord LiscanorТs subjects, come to see if you were being kept here against your will.Ф
Maudrayne turned her gaze to the fisherman. УTwo tennights ago, you saw me at DobneluТs steading through your spyglass.Ф
He nodded, all joviality. УAnd wasnТt it a great shock, seeing a queenly redheaded beauty carrying a milk-pail from the old hagТs byre! Us seamen give DobneluТs fjord a wide berth accounta her curses. But nothinТs to stop us peepinС at the place as we sail on by. I studied through the glass and nigh jumped out oТ my skin when I realized Сtwas you: IroncrownТs wife that was supposed to be drownded in Cathra, alive and well and back home in Tarn. I pondered it for days, wonderinТ what to do.Ф
УWondering how he could turn his discovery to profit!Ф Rusgann growled.
УAnd did you tell others of what youТd seen?Ф Maudrayne inquired.
УOnly a few good mates who know to keep their gobs shut. Needed advice, didnТt I, to figger the best way to outwit the sea-hag.Ф
Maudrayne said, УIТm surprised you dared risk her wrath, setting foot on this forbidden shore.Ф
A look of low cunning spread over the skipperТs face as he took from his shirt a small pouch hanging on a string around his neck. УGot me special charms for that. Vorgo, too. Cost every silver mark I owned to get Сem from Blind Bozuk the shaman. This here lets us cross the hagТs magic circle of stones without her knowinТ. Bozuk said itТd only work on Solstice Eve, when the fires of sorcery burn wan in the midnight sun. We waited till the time was ripe, then sailed back here in my lugger Scoter, keepinС far out from shore. We came into Useless Bay with the centerboard up, mostly using sweeps to drive the boat.
Mortal hard work it was rowinС, but we stayed clear of the shoals and made it to this cove, outta sight of DobneluТs steading. We was all set to go afoot along the fjord and creep up to the farmhouse, when the wench and the lad come along.У
Rusgann said, УI was fool enough to say you were following us along the shore, my lady, when I thought the men might be friendly. This one started whispering to that blockhead son of his. The lackwit blurted out something about hiding behind a rock and grabbing you when you appeared. I tried to run with Dyfrig then, but they caught us and knocked me down.Ф
УAnd now you intend to kidnap us, Lukort Waterfall?Ф Maudrayne said contemptuously.
УRescue you, princess!Ф The fishermanТs voice was laden with false reproach. УFirst I figgered to take you back to your brother, hopinС heТd give me a nice reward.Ф The yellowish eyes shifted. УBut now I reckon if I took you and the boy down south, some othersЧsay, your uncle the High Sealord SerninЧ might be even more grateful for your return.Ф
УI see.Ф
Others! Sly Lukort knew full well that Conrig Ironcrown was the one who would pay a fortune for her and the childЕ alive or dead. And if it were not to be the latter, sheТd have to think fast.
УHere comes Vorgo back with the coracle, so letТs be off, princess. Your boyТs waitinС for you aboard Scoter. SheТs a fine craft, a legacy from my late brother, may the fishes eat his eyeballs. YouТll ride easy in her.Ф
УHow many in your crew?Ф Maudrayne asked casually.
He chuckled. УFor this sailinС, just me and Vorgo. Scoter needs five men when weТre haulinТ in fish, but youТre a catch easier to handle, eh?Ф
Only the two of them. So the plan that had sprung into her mind might work. УYouТll take my maidservant also, of course. She is very dear to me and to my son.Ф
LukortТs face hardened and he shot a rancorous glance over his shoulder at Rusgann. УNot bloody likely. The big wench stays.Ф
УI beseech you not to leave her here with the terrible sea-hag. LookЧIТll give you a fine reward if you but reconsider.Ф
She pulled the splendid necklace of opal and gold out from her dress and made as if to unfasten the catch at the back of her neck.
УSwive me!Ф the fisherman gasped, undisguised greed widening his eyes. УThatТs a beaut! Fire-stones the size of quail eggs.Ф
УThe clasp is stuck. Come help me open it. The bauble is yours in payment for RusgannТs passage.Ф
УHuh! I reckon itТs mine anyhow!Ф And he was on her as fast as a heron striking, laughing in malicious triumph. He took hold of the pendant stones and gave a painful tug. She was aware of his wiry eyebrows and foul breath and the bits of food caught in his beard as she pulled the kitchen knife from the pocket of her apron and drove it into his throat just to the side of his windpipe, severing the great blood vessels of the neck as sheТd done many a time hunting, when putting a downed and wounded game animal out of its misery.
Lukort uttered a bubbling croak and, staggering, caught her by the hair. She yanked the knife free and an amazing jet of blood shot from the wound, soaking the two of them as they fell in a tangle of flailing limbs. With him struggling beneath her, she stabbed him again, this time taking him between the ribs. She screamed, УRusgann!Ф
The maid rushed forward, a granite stone the size of a turnip in one hand. She used the other to pull Maudrayne aside and smashed the rock into LukortТs crimson-smeared face. Kneeling beside him, she struck again and again and again until there was nothing human left of his features.
УStop,Ф Maudrayne said at last. УHeТs dead, bled out like a stuck deer. But take care, his boy Vorgo is coming back in the little boat.Ф
УDad!Ф wailed the big youth, his lumpy countenance full of horror. He sat as though paralyzed in the coracle, which drifted in the shallows a dozen ells away. УDad!Ф
Maudrayne rose slowly to her feet, a figure tall and hideous with gore, holding the red-stained knife high. УNow for you!Ф she howled, wading into the sea. The youth stared at her in disbelief, then threw himself over the gunwale of the skin boat and began to thrash away frantically in the direction of the lugger.