"Morrison, Patricia Kennealy - Throne Of Sconeuc - Tk#2" - читать интересную книгу автора (Morrison Patricia Kennealy)

Elathan, frowning slightly, set the diptych aside and leaned back in his chair, steepling his long fingers under his chin and waiting for them to continue.
It was Chamara who now took up the conversation. "We know well of the high regard." he began, "in which Your Majesty of Fomor is held by His Highness Jaun Akhera, the Imperial Heir, and, feeling certain that this regard is fully reciprocatedЧ" Here he faltered, for Elathan's face was
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completely devoid of expression, but he rallied and went on. "We have in any case been instructed by Her Imperial Serenity the Princess Helior, acting for her son Jaun Akhera, to inquire respectfully of Your Grace if you would not deign to reconsider your position, and reopen hostilities against Keltia."
Keltia . . . The word buzzed in Elathan's ears like a bee-bird, made the room swim before his eyes. What in the name of all gods did he have to do, to prove to folk that he was sincere in his stated policy, that he wanted to be friends with the Kelts, and with Aeron . . .
"The Princess Helior, no less than her son, is surely aware of the circumstances under which I recalled my armies from the Keltic war. What could Fomor possibly hope to gain by resuming the ill-considered fight that killed her king?"
"Among other things, lord, vengeance for that king's death," said Emen Gaitz eagerly. "It was Aeron Aoibhell, Keltia's own queen, who struck down your royal father. She is now, as Your Grace knows, a common fugitive, and Jaun Akhera holds her throneworld in the teeth of everything the Kelts can throw against him."
"And that says much for Jaun Akhera. But that is still no good reason, in fact no reason at all, why I should bring my armies again to a fight I had no wish to be part of in the first place. I said so to Jaun Akhera himself, long before battle began, and again after the death of my father."
The envoys looked uncomfortable. "The Princess Helior prays you think of future friendship, lord, if nothing else," said Chamara after a while. "Jaun Akhera is of Your Majesty's own age, and he looks to youЧas friend, contemporary and future allyЧfor assistance. Your late royal fatherЧ"
"My late royal father," said Elathan, an edge to his voice now, "was the one who wished for a war of vengeance upon the Kelts; my father, lord, not I. That feud is now ended, at least as far as I am concerned, and I think I may speak in this matter for the Queen of Kelts as well. I say this once only: I will not reopen the war with Keltia under any circumstances, and if Aeron Aoibhell lives to return to her kingdom, and takes it back again from Jaun AkheraЧas I am firmly convinced she shallЧthen it is my declared intention to make peace with her, monarch to monarch, House to House, person to person. The enmity between her family and mine has gone on long enough, and has cost of royal blood more than enough. Past time to bring it to an end." He rose, and they
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scrambled hastily to their feet. "If there is no more we must speak of?"
They smoothed the pleats of their clothing, smiling professionally, spreading their hands in indication that their speeches were done.
"Well, then. I accept your duty as envoys, and ! look forward to seeing you here at Court. As to the rest of what we have spoken of todayЧyou understand we have not spoken of it. I give you good day, my lords."
He fell back into his chair as the doors swung closed behind the Coranians; and so he did not see the man who loitered alone in the great open hall beyond the study doors, and who now, with a quick furtive glance around, fell into step as if by purest chance with the Imperial envoys.
They stopped, startled, and began to bow to the newcomer as formally and respectfully, though less deeply, as they had bowed to the King of Fomor himself. But he cut their obeisances off and conducted them quickly out of the hall, glancing around yet again to be sure that none had seen them go. Once safely out of sight of the royal environs, he turned to them, smiling winningiy.
"Ah sirs," said Talorcan, half-brother to Elathan, son of Bres and his legal concubine the Lady Thona, "would it please you to speak further of your true business here at Tory? For I," he said, "may be of assistance to you in such matter, andЧhowsoever my royal brother may decideЧI would not turn down the friendship of the next Cabiri Emperor. Shall we speak more of this in my chambers?"
' "Aeron? Do you sleep?" Morwen Douglas, Duchess of Lochcarron and First Minister of Keltia, stood in the doorway of the starship cabin and smiled indulgently at its occupant.
The one she addressed lay curled up on the blastcouch in an attitude full of elegance, long slim legs crossed at the ankle and drawn up slightly, red-gold hair draped over her like a coverlet. Aeron Aoibhell, High Queen of Keltia, Morwen's foster-sister and onetime sister-in-law, stirred, stretched and sat up all in one fluid movement.
"Not now . . , Any road, I am all slept out. Let me take the ship for the next watch and what is left of this one. I feel a need to take counsel of myself, and that is easier done at the helm than lolling here."
Morwen's smile widened. "Well, should Her Majesty need
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other counselЧI will not say wiser counselЧlet her not forget she has to hand the services of her Taoiseach. But 1 think I will sleep now a while myself; besides, you are the only one here knows where we are bound."
"I have told you where we are bound."
"Oh aye: We go in search of ArthurЧa king dead fifteen hundred yearsЧand in search of the Thirteen Treasures of KeltiaЧwhich may or may not exist, and which he may or may not have taken away with him. Not the most certain of destinations."
"Perhaps not. But if Your Grace of Lochcarron will delay your rest until you have read a little in this" Чshe tossed to Morwen a small book bound in dark-blue leather, and rose from the couch as she spokeЧ "you will shortly have a better idea of where we are bound. That is, if you truly wish to know?"
Morwen snatched the little volume from its arc through the air. "I am not entirely sure just yet . . ."
When Aeron, grinning at her friend's exasperation, had gone past her, headed for the command cabin of Retaliator, Morwen looked down reluctantly at the silver-stamped blue leather cover.
" 'Preithi Annuvin,' " she said softly and reverently. "From the hand and harp of Taliesin ap Gwyddno himself . . ."
She shook her blond head and dropped down on the blastcouch. Almost the only thing Aeron had as yet chosen to impart to her was that this book would be their map for the desperate quest ahead. For this journey they were now embarked upon was not one of pleasure, nor of choice, nor even of their own planning. It was flight plain and simple: flight into exile, flight arranged at the cost of others' lives, to save their own lives and to seekjielp that would save their kingdom.
AndЧagain according to AeronЧthis bard dead for a millennium and a half would guide them . . .
*'Oh gods, Aeron," said Morwen, looking after her friend, "I pray you know what it is that you do."
She leaned back against the pillows in the hollow left by Aeron; unfastening the silver clasps of the little book, she opened the blue leather covers and began to read.
In the Keltic capita) of Caerdroia, in Aeron's tower bedchamber overlooking the sea, Gwydion put aside the book that had been in his hands, rose, and walked to the windows
that gave on the city. His eyes, ordinarily so all-seeing, saw Caerdroia no more than they had seen the pages of the book, for his mindЧand his heartЧhad fled many light-years away, moving with Retaliator as she sailed into the unknown.
Yet for all his skill and power, he could not see that ship with any sight; she, and those who sailed her. had passed beyond the reach of telepathy and prescience and even hope. All he could do was yearn; and that, for the Prince of Gwynedd and the King of Keltia, was not permissible, not now, and never for long.
But in truth he had not found his self-chosen captivity as
onerous as he had expected to. Having resolved to remain as
"hostage in CaerdroiaЧas he had patiently explained to both
^eron his consort and Jaun Akhera his captorЧhe had not for
one instant regretted his decision. He had stayed so that Aeron
would have a kingdom to return to; as First Lord of War on
"the royal council, as Pendragon of Lirias, leader of the Dragon
Kinship, and, most of all, as Aeron's chosen lord, he was the
: .logical one to remain.