"Morressy, John - NestEgg" - читать интересную книгу автора (Morressy John)

Princess let the scroll furl and tapped the ends into neat alignment. "I'll tell
Spot to start packing. We'll leave in the mornings" she said.

"We?"

"You don't think I'm going to pass up a chance to visit a royal court, do you?
Even if it means sitting up with a sick griffin."

The castle of Contrecoeur was five days' unhurried ride from the cottage on
Silent Thunder Mountain, and the weather was ideal for travel. The skies were
clear, the sun bright. The roads had dried after the spring rains, but summer
had not yet encumbered the land with heat and dust and small insects and crowds.
Traffic, in fact, was nonexistent. The woods were splashed with shadings of
green highlighted with the brightness of flowers. Fragrance and birdsong filled
the air. All appeared tranquil, but Kedrigern felt increasingly ill at ease.
Finally, on the morning of the fifth day, he reined in his horse and dropped
back to Princess' side.

"There are people nearby," he said.

"It's the season for traveling."

"I know it is, and yet we haven't seen a soul on the road so far. Now I sense a
large crowd, and they're not in a friendly mood. Probably robbers and
marauders."

"Are you sure? There's not much to rob out here, is there?"

"There's us."

Princess looked thoughtful. "Well, I'm sure you can handle a band --" she began,
when an arrow whistled between them, others zipped overhead, and a loud shout
came from the wood.

"Let's go!" Kedrigern cried, casting a quick shielding spell around them as he
dug his heels in. They galloped to the last bend in the forest road, where a
barrier blocked their way. No sooner had they halted than a score of archers,
bows at the ready, emerged from the surrounding wood and six pikemen advanced on
them, led by a swordsman.

"It's all right, my dear. These are Tyasan's men," said Kedrigern.

"Stand and unfold yourselves!" the swordsman demanded.

"We are friends to this ground, come at the request of King Tyasan. I am the
wizard Kedrigern, and this lady is my wife and colleague."

At the name, the swordsman sheathed his blade and said, in a much more cordial
tone, "Welcome to the Kingdom of the Misty Marshes. You are fortunate indeed to
have come this far in safety."