"Norton, Andre - Mercedes Lackey - Elvenblood" - читать интересную книгу автора (Norton Andre)

No. No, I don t. I don't want a husband, I don't want any changes; as pathetic as
my life is now, I do not want to find myself the property of some lord like my
father. And since Father chose all of this for me, he can hardly blame me for
looking ridiculous. That, in and of itself, was a relief. If Sheyrena failed tonight,
her father would be looking for someone or something to blame, and it would be
best if she gave him no excuse to place that blame on her. Lord Tylar had made it
clear to his wife and daughter that this particular fete was of paramount
importance to the House of Treves. The glee on his face when he had received the
invitation, not only to attend, but to present Sheyrena, had only been equaled the
day that he learned that the price of grain for slave-fodder had tripled due to a
blight that his fields had been spared. While Lord Tylar's lineage was good, it was
not great--and his monetary wealth was due entirely to his successes in the
marketplace. Lord Tylar's grandfather had been a mere pensioner, and only astute
management had brought the House of Treves this far. He was not one of the
original High Lords of the Council, but a recent appointee, and under normal
circumstances, he would not ever have found himself in the company of the House

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 Norton, Andre & Lackey, Mercedes - Elvenblood


of Hernalth, much less invited to their fete.

"Turn, please, my lady."

The invitation came not by teleson, but by messenger--an elven messenger, not a
human slave, which showed how Lord Tylar's status had increased since the
disastrous conflict with the Elvenbane. Scribed on a thin sheet of pure gold, it
could only have been created magically--an indirect and subtle demonstration of
the power and skill of the creator.

V'kass Ardeyn el-Lord Fortren Lord Hernalth requests the pleasure of the
company of the House of Treves at a fete given in his honor by his guardian,
V'sheyl Edres Lord Fortren, on the occasion of his accession to the lands and
position of the House of Hernalth. He further requests the boon of the presentation
of the daughter of the House of Treves at this fete. No need to mention dates or
time; even the least and poorest of the pensioners on Lord Tylar's estate knew the
date of Lord Ardeyn's accession-fete, just as they knew why the heir to the house
of Fortren had inherited the House of Hernalth--over the strenuous objections of
Lord Dyran's brother, it might be added.

"Please raise your arm a trifle."

Odd that his given name is Treves. There had been strong words between Lord
Treves and Lord Edres in Council, and Lord Treves had gone off in a huff, taking
what little he owned under the law, becoming a pensioner under the auspices of
one of Lord Edres's opponents. She could only hope that such an unpleasant
coincidence might cause Lord Ardeyn to regard her with a less than favorable eye,
for by asking that she be presented, Lord Ardeyn had made it very clear that he
was not only holding a celebration, he was seeking an appropriate bride.