"Patricia A. McKillip - The Throme of the Erril of Sherill" - читать интересную книгу автора (McKillip Patricia A)

child,тАЭ he said. тАЬYou are more annoying than a tripping tree root. What is a
dagon?тАЭ
Elfwyth glanced up at him out of her still eyes. She sniffed. тАЬIt is a small
animal. A little, little animal. And it has a little voice, and pretty eyes. You will
not be afraid of it.тАЭ
тАЬI am afraid of nothing,тАЭ Caerles said.
тАЬAnd it will like you very muchтАж if you find it while I am with you. It likes
me most of all.тАЭ She took the hand of the Cnite Caerles and turned him towards
the morning sun. Flowers bent gently under her bare feet. тАЬBut it will like you,
too, if you speak gently to it, I thinkтАж It is my dagon, my Dracoberus, and it
was a gift to me from sevenтАФpeople. And then, if you find it, I will love you,
too.тАЭ She smiled up at him, raising her fair face like a flower opening, and
Caerles gave once more the wisp and whisper of a sigh.
тАЬThank you,тАЭ he said glumly, and lifted her up into his great curved saddle.
They followed the sun until noon.
At noon the sun was a soundless, rearing lion frightening their shadows into
littleness, a huge, golden dragon that was never still, the coin-gold heart of a
blazing flower. At noon, they stopped to drink at the ice-colored sliver of a
sheer stream. Elfwyth danced with her bare feet into the heart of the stream,
among the polished stones and speckled sand, and as she splashed under the full
eye of noon there came a roar like the waking of seven beasts in new spring.
The Cnite Caerles ran to her, and the stream water sank deep into his
mouse-colored boots. He lifted the child, holding her all wet against him, and
then her voice shrilled into his eye.
тАЬOh, my Dracoberus!тАЭ
There was a flash like the wink of lightning. A slender hound with violet
eyes and fiery breath ran bellowing from the trees, and it was taller than
CaerlesтАЩ horse. Caerles stared motionless at its coming, while the child Elfwyth
wriggled against him and his horse behind him reared and whimpered. Behind
the hound rode seven men in seven colors, each with an eye ablaze on his
breast, and a spear, ice-tipped, in his hand. Elfwyth twisted eagerly in the
CniteтАЩs arms.
тАЬOh, let me goтАФтАЭ she cried, and slithered like a fish into the water. She ran
across the stream to the fiery hound and the sudden hiss of its breath over her
head came at Caerles in a flood of flame. He sat down in the water. Seven men
gathered at the waterтАЩs edge. Seven spears formed a gleaming crescent above
the CniteтАЩs heart. Elfwyth hugged the neck of the whimpering hound. She kissed
its violet eyes and turned her head.
тАЬIf you hurt the Cnite I will cry.тАЭ
Caerles looked up at the still faces and fish nibbled at his fingers. He said
between his teeth, тАЬI do not like small girls.тАЭ
тАЬGo and kiss him thanks,тАЭ Elfwyth said to the great, frolicking dagon.
тАЬI do not want to be thanked,тАЭ said the Cnite.
тАЬYou are afraid of my Dracoberus.тАЭ
тАЬYes.тАЭ
тАЬYou told me you were afraid of nothing!тАЭ
тАЬElfwyth, Elfwyth,тАЭ said a man in scarlet, тАЬit is not good for a small girl to
mock a grown man. Who is this one?тАЭ
тАЬI do not know. I found him beneath a tree and I bounced on him until he
came with me to find my dagon.тАЭ