"Julian May - Boreal Moon 01 - Conqueror's Moon" - читать интересную книгу автора (May Julian)
Julian, May - Boreal Moon 01 - Conqueror's Moon
Conrig said, тАЬBefore answering that question, Earl Marshal, I must impart to you melancholy tidings. Since youтАЩve been busy for the past months keeping Great Pass secure from
bandits and Didionite incursions, you may not know that King Olmigon has lately experienced a worsening of that abdominal rupture which has so long afflicted him. The royal
alchymists are zealously applying both natural science and sorcery, but the latterday weight-gain of my father makes treatment more difficult than in past years.тАЭ He took a poker and
pulled the smoldering logs together so that they might burn better. тАЬKing Olmigon is in great pain much of the time. He continues to conduct important state business from his bed,
however, refusing medicine that he fears might dull his mind, even as the suffering itself prevents him from straight thinking. Queen Cataldise is at his side day and night.тАЭ
Dying! They all had the identical thought.
The prince turned about and let his eyes rove slowly over those seated. тАЬHowever, my lady Maudrayne has sent to Tarn for a healer of special talent, and if God wills, the KingтАЩs
Grace will be restored to health. I command you not to broadcast tidings of his sad disability beyond this room. Only keep him in your prayers.тАЭ
And remember who it is that will succeed to the throne of Cathra when Olmigon does sing his Deathsong.
Nods and murmurs.
тАЬIt was my personal decision,тАЭ Conrig continued, тАЬas well as that of a certain other high-ranking member of the Privy Council, not to trouble the king with this new matter until I
have consulted with you all and determined whether or not the invasion proposal is practicable. As Lord Constable of the Realm, acting with the covert approval of Chancellor
Falmire, who is the only one of my fatherтАЩs advisers with the brains to understand the situation, I have the power to summon this extraordinary council of war. The persons I chose to
invite are those in a unique position to render service to CathraтАФto redress the atrocious insult done to our kingdom by Didion, and assure the security of the entire island.тАЭ
Whisperings. None of them were fools. Unlike the intrepid northerners, who had always borne the brunt of defending CathraтАЩs border, the lords of the south had grown complacent
and soft from long years of martial inactivity. They were businessmen, tending to their varied commercial ventures, not fighters. With the coming of the WolfтАЩs Breath, worried by
training their knights and thanes as an invasion host.
тАЬAs you all know,тАЭ Conrig continued, after a pause, тАЬthe impetus for the Edict of Sovereignty came originally from me. From my youth I have idolized Emperor Bazekoy the Great,
who unified the nations of the mainland, brought civilization to our own island, and chose to die here for love of it. It has long been my dream to bring all of Blenholme together and
return it to the glory of BazekoyтАЩs time.тАЭ
тАЬThe Emperor,тАЭ Munlow Ramscrest grumbled, тАЬhas been dead for over a thousand yearsтАж most of him, at any rate! And the Blenholme of his day no more resembles our own than
childrenтАЩs fables resemble the sacred Chronicle.тАЭ
тАЬCount Ramscrest speaks the unwelcome truth, as usual,тАЭ the prince conceded, to universal amusement. тАЬOur world is more densely populated and our politics more complex.
Nevertheless, even the marble-domes on my fatherтАЩs Privy Council eventually agreed that the time was ripe for a move to Sovereignty. Three years of the WolfтАЩs Breath have
brought tragedy to BlenholmeтАФbut also an unprecedented opportunity. Didion is at the brink of civil war. The gold-coffers of the Sealords of Tarn are near empty with the closing of
the mines. Even in MossтАФтАЭ
тАЬWho cares about Moss?тАЭ Baron Wanstantil Cloudfell sneered. He was a haughty beanpole who dressed with great elegance and affected a foppish manner. тАЬLet the Conjure-King
use sorcery to make the sun shine on his stinking swamps, and may he have much joy in the fulfillment. My prince, donтАЩt tell me youтАЩd bother taking that soggy nest of magical
mountebanks into the Sovereignty!тАЭ
тАЬAs it happens, Lord Cloudfell, the kingdom of Moss would play a crucial role in unifying Blenholme.тАЭ
тАЬThe hell you say!тАЭ Beorbrook exclaimed. тАЬDoes this scheme of yours depend on vile Mossback enchantments, then?тАЭ
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Julian, May - Boreal Moon 01 - Conqueror's Moon
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