"Elizabeth Moon - Paksenarrion 1 - The Sheepfarmer's Daughter" - читать интересную книгу автора (Moon Elizabeth)

new recruits in most of the towns they passed, until their
group numbered thirty-eight. Already friendships had
begun among some of them, and Paksenarrion had heard
her shortened name enough to feel comfortable with it.
Despite having little time to talk, she knew that Saben,
Ar├▒e, Vik, Jorti, and Coben were going to be her friends
тАФ and that Korryn and Jens would never be anything but
enemies.

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Elizabeth Moon - The Deed of Paksenarrion [vol 1] Sheepfarmer's Daughter


Stammel changed the marching order every few days, so
that they all had a chance to lead a file as well as follow.
Marching in front, where she could not see the motley
clothing of the rest, Paksenarrion imagined herself
already through training and headed for a battle. She
could almost feel a sword swinging at her side. Around
that corner, she thought, or over the rise тАФ the enemy is
waiting. She pictured grim-faced troops in black armor тАФ
or maybe orcs, like those her grandfather had fought. Bits
of the old songs and tales ran through her mind: magic
swords, heroes who fought and won against the powers of
darkness, enchanted horses ... When she marched in back,
however, the visions failed, and she wondered how many
more days they would be on the road.
At last Stammel told them that the stronghold was less
than a day's march away. They halted early, beside the
river, and spent the rest of the daylight getting as clean as
possible. Paksenarrion did not mind the cold water, but
others who tried to make do with a casual swipe at face
and hands were ordered back in to do the job properly.
Next day Stammel put Paksenarrion, Saben, Korryn, and
Seliast at the head of the first squad files: the tallest
recruits. They marched without effort now, and almost
without thought, rhythm even and arms swinging. As they
came over the last rise, to see the blunt stone walls of the
stronghold rise from a narrow plain, squads on the parade
fields were shifted out of their way.

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Elizabeth Moon - The Deed of Paksenarrion [vol 1] Sheepfarmer's Daughter


Paksenarrion, marching across that space in front of a
whole army (as it seemed to her) suddenly felt she
couldn't get any air. Only the habit of days on the road
kept her from bolting from so many eyes. She blushed a
fiery red and kept marching.