"Dennis L. McKiernan - Mithgar - Eye of the Hunter" - читать интересную книгу автора (McKiernan Dennis L)

crystals. Of a sudden Rael looked at me, or rather, through me, for her
eyes were focused elsewhere . . . beyond. And she spoke a rede, for
they come at their own time and not at will. Even so, it seemed that her
words were aimed at me and none else. And this is what she said:



"When Spring comes upon the land,
Yet Winter grips with icy hand,
And the Eye of the Hunter stalks night skies,
Bane and blessing alike will rise.
Lastborn Firstborns of those who were there,
Stand at thy side in the light of the Bear.
Hunter and hunted, who can say
Which is which on a given day?"



"Ooo," whispered Silvey, glancing about, peering into the darkness
beyond the lantern light as if to see what danger approached, "what do
you suppose it means?"
None said aught for a while, each pondering the words of the rede.
At last Small Urus, eldest bucco, sitting down upon a porch step,
looked up at his sister, Little Riatha, eldest dammsel. "If, as Dad
suspects, it refers to Baron Stoke, then I think it speaks of you and me,
Atha, for we are the firstborn bucco and firstborn dammsel of those who
were there." He pointed his chin first at his sire and then at his dam.
Fear sprang up behind Petal's eyesтАФnot for herself, oh no, but
instead for her children. She reached out to Tomlin and took his hand in
hers.
But the Elfess shook her head. "Nay, Small Urus. Thy guess
concerning the firstborns is a shrewd one, yet except for me, I think it
speaks of no one here ... at least, not directly."
The young buccan swept his hand in a wide gesture, taking in all the
Warrows. "If not us, if not Atha and me, if not Silvey or Bear, if not my
sire and dam, then who?"
 The Elfess smiled down at the Waerling. "List, Small Urus, it is truly
a destiny far beyond, for the Eye of the Hunter will not ride the skies
above for another thousand wintersтАФone thousand and twenty-seven
winters, to be exactтАФ"
Bear blurted out, "One thousand and twenty-seven years? Why, this
is 4E1980, and that'd be in the year"тАФhe did a quick sum in his
headтАФ"4E3007 . . . yes, 4E3007. A very long time hence. B-but here,
now! None of us will even be alive then."
Petal looked at the Elfess. "Riatha will, Bear. Riatha will."
And now all the Warrow children looked at the Elfess and realized
for the very first time that she was not a mortal.
Riatha shrugged off their stares. "And so will thy descendants be
alive, thine Small Urus, and thine Little Riatha: the firstborns of the
firstborns, or so the rede prophesies."