"John Morressy - Reflection" - читать интересную книгу автора (Morressy John)

even when the seeker was well-known and much respected, with extensive contacts
in the magical community. He could not expect to be lucky twice.

After receiving Sigert's plea for assistance, it was months before Kedrigern
even got wind of a faint rumor of a magic mirror, and many more before he
actually traced it down, ascertained its provenance, and satisfied himself of
its authenticity. Haggling over the price dragged on for two more months, and
might have taken longer if the owner, an aging seneschal, had not been stricken
with a painful bout of rheumatism. Transporting the mirror intact to his cottage
took Kedrigern another full month. The whole operation consumed so much time, in
fact, that there was none left for the usual full-scale safety check. The mirror
was to be a surprise birthday present for Sigert's queen, and only if he
departed for the Kingdom of the Nine Shallow Ponds the very next morning and
encountered no obstacles along the way could Kedrigern hope to deliver the
mirror on Brissault's birthday.

With the help of Spot and a very small levitation spell he stowed the mirror
safely in a wagon, surrounding it with padding and protective spells. Princess
chose not to accompany him on the journey. "In the first place," she explained,
"I am a princess, not a freight-handler. And in the second place, from what
you've told me, the Kingdom of the Nine Shallow Ponds is not a happy place. I
don't want to take along, slow, uncomfortable journey just to be surrounded by
gloom."

"I intend to dispel the gloom, my dear."

But she had decided, and was adamant. After a brief but tender farewell, he set
out just before dawn, aching and yawning, comforted only by the thought of a
generous fee and a chance to save a marriage.

The weather was benign and his journey was uneventful. Kedrigern had ample time
to ponder the misfortunes of the royal couple. Having won the confidence of both
king and queen, he had been made privy to all the details.

Sometime in their third decade together, no one could say exactly when, things
began to go wrong between King Sigert and Queen Brissault. Petty quarrels
swelled into full-blown arguments. Familiar mannerisms became irritants. Casual
phrases elicited barbed responses. Angry silences sometimes lasted for days, and
only a state occasion would have Sigert and Brissault speaking to one another
again, albeit coolly and formally.

Sigert, who still loved his wife deeply, tried to figure out where things had
gone wrong. He could not. He consulted his counselors and advisors and the
wisest men in the kingdom, and while they were able to suggest a number of
causes, they could not agree on a solution. They were in accord on war, taxes,
and ceremonials, but not on domestic relations. Some said that women required
flattery; others prescribed extravagant gifts, separate palaces, or beheading.
In the end, they were no help.

Unknown to the king, Brissault, who loved her husband every bit as much as he