"Elizabeth Moon - Gird 02 - Liar's Oath" - читать интересную книгу автора (Moon Elizabeth)

gone. I donтАЩtтАФdonтАЩt think about itтАФтАЭ
file:///G|/Program%20Files/eMule/Incoming/Elizabeth%20Moon%20-%20Gird%2002%20-%20Liar's%20Oath.html (19 of 310) [10/15/2004 12:40:04 AM]
LiarтАЩs Oath - The Legacy of Gird 02, Elizabeth Moon
She sat upright, her lips pursed, her expression unreadable. Then, as if making a decision, she nodded gravely and went
on. тАЬPrince, you cannot put it aside that way. ItтАЩs true, the world has changed; you have no throne, and no royal family to
sponsor you. But you must know your past, and make it your own, or you cannot become whatever Esea means for you.тАЭ
The godтАЩs name startled him; he started to say that he was no worshipper of the Sunlord, but stopped himself. Instead, he
said, тАЬI swore that I would give up all thought of kingship.тАЭ
She nodded briskly. тАЬQuite right, too. Pursuing such a claim could only bring trouble to the land and people. And you
have had no training for kingship. But this does not mean that Esea has no path lighted for you.тАЭ
Luap shrugged, easing tight shoulders. тАЬAs GirdтАЩs chronicler, scribe, assistantтАж it seems clear to me that this is my task.тАЭ
Listening to himself, even he could hear the lack of completion; he was not surprised when she shook her head.
тАЬFor now, prince. For now, that is your task, and see that you do it in the SunтАЩs light! But you have more to doтАФand
donтАЩt laugh at an old woman, thinking me silly with age.тАЭ For an instant, she looked almost fierce, white hair and all,
though he had not laughed, even inside. тАЬYou have a position no one else can share: you are the royal heir, though you
have no throne. But youтАФand only youтАФcan lead your own peopleтАФтАЭ
тАЬWhich of my people?тАЭ Luap asked irritably. She was beginning to sound like the Autumn Rose, and he had a sudden
vision of that dire lady in old age, still pursuing his irresolution with her own certainty.
That got him a long straight stare; he could feel his face reddening. тАЬThat,тАЭ she said severely, тАЬwas unworthy of you. You
know quite well I meant your fatherтАЩs folk, the mageborn. I would have thought Arranha would have spoken to youтАжтАЭ
тАЬHe has,тАЭ said Luap, suddenly as disgusted with himself as she seemed to be. тАЬHe and the Autumn Rose both. I am
supposed to do somethingтАФbut no one can tell me what, or how, or even more how to do it without breaking my oath to
GirdтАФтАЭ And the gods. Sweat came out on him. What kind of leadership could he give, without using magery he had
sworn not to use? What kind of leadership without usurping GirdтАЩs authority?
тАЬOf course no one can tell you,тАЭ Lady Dorhaniya said tartly. тАЬYou are the prince; you inherited the royal mageryтАФoh
yes, I have heard that, too. As the prince, the SunlordтАЩs light is yours, do you choose to ask such guidance. Have you?тАЭ
To such a question only a direct answer was possible. тАЬNo, lady,тАЭ said Luap, sweating. He had had a childтАЩs knowledge
of the gods when he was sent away; after that, among peasants, he could not have worshipped the Sunlord even if heтАЩd
wanted to. He had not wanted to; he had been abandoned by his father and his fatherтАЩs god, and he would not pay homage
to either of them.
тАЬWell, you should. Esea knows you had a poor enough childhood, with that prune-stuffed steward and whatever
happened after your father died, but the fact remains that you are what you are, and unless you learn to be that, youтАЩre as
dangerous as a warsteed in the kitchen.тАЭ She looked around for her servant, and then hitched herself forward. Luap rose
and offered his arm. тАЬYesтАФI must be going. IтАЩve said too much too soon, it may be. But your father, prince, had more
sense than his brothers; somewhere in your head you have it. I suggest you ask the SunlordтАЩs aid, and soon.тАЭ Then she
stopped again. тАЬAnd who is this Autumn Rose you mentioned?тАЭ That he could answer. тАЬA mageborn lady, a warrior from
Tsaia, who joined GirdтАЩs army afterтАФтАЭ
тАЬOh, her. The king-killer. Some nonsense about her having been involved with the king before his marriage.тАЭ Lady
Dorhaniya sniffed. тАЬShe was a wild girl, willful, always storming off about this and that. ItтАЩs one thing to learn
file:///G|/Program%20Files/eMule/Incoming/Elizabeth%20Moon%20-%20Gird%2002%20-%20Liar's%20Oath.html (20 of 310) [10/15/2004 12:40:04 AM]
LiarтАЩs Oath - The Legacy of Gird 02, Elizabeth Moon
weaponlore, if youтАЩve the strength and stomach for it, and another to be starting quarrels just to have the chance of
settling them. Not that the princeтАФlater the kingтАФ wasnтАЩt as bad, for he loved to watch her flare out at things. So sheтАЩs
calling herself Autumn Rose, is she?тАЭ From her tone, that was just more foolishness.
тАЬDo you know her name from before?тАЭ
The old ladyтАЩs eyes twinkled in mischief. тАЬOf course I do, but if she hasnтАЩt told even Gird, why should I tell you? I doubt
she has much family left to be embarrassed, but itтАЩs her business, silly as she is.тАЭ Luap could not imagine anyone thinking
Autumn Rose silly. Dangerous and difficult, but not silly. тАЬYou might just tell her it sounds more like a title than a
name.тАЭ
Luap grinned. It had not occurred to him that the old lady would have known the Autumn Rose, or, knowing her, might