"Andre Norton - Merlin' s mirror" - читать интересную книгу автора (Norton Andre)

and the next. Now the doors between this world and the
Dark could open, and demons could caper through or
crawl malevolently to attack man. There was safety here
by the cheer of fire, in the voices she could hear, the snort
of one of the horses stabled in the outermost circle of
stalls below. She picked up the tankard she had set on the
bench beside her and sipped at the barley ale it contained,
making a little face at its bitter taste but relishing the
warmth within her when she swallowed.

There were other women on the balcony benches, but

8 Andre Norton

none shared hers. Brigitta was the chief's daughter and so
took honor here. When the flames flickered they caught
the gold bracelet on her arm, the wide plaque necklace of
amber and bronze lying on her breast. Her red-brown hair
flowed free, nearly touching the floor behind her as she
sat, its color contrasting pleasantly with the strong blue of
her cloak, the embroidered length of the saffron yellow
robe beneath.

She was arrayed for a feast, yet this was no true. feast.
She bitterly resented the news which had drawn the men to
council and left the women to watch and yawn, gossip a
little. It was even stale gossip, for they had been together
for so long now that there was nothing new to say about
each other or events.

Brigitta moved restlessly. WarтАФwar with the Winged
HatsтАФthat was all a man could think about. There was
little betrothing or marrying nowadays. And she was
growing older with every moon. Yet her father had not
singled out any lord for her. There was gossip behind
hands about that also, as. well she knew. If they had not
already, in time they would give her some flaw of tongue
or mind which would turn possible suitors from the door.

War. Brigitta gritted her teeth and the look with which
she regarded the company below had little kindness in it.
Man thought of fighting first and always. What^did it mat-
ter if the invaders crept along valleys miles away? What
difference should it make to the people of Nyren, safe in
their upland fortress? And now this babbling about the
evils wrought by the High King. She drank again.

So he had put aside his wife to wed the daughter of the
Saxon overlord.... Brigitta wondered what the new queen