"Kim Hunter - [The Red Pavillions 03] - Scabard's Song v1.0" - читать интересную книгу автора (Hunter Kim - [The Red Pavillions 03] - Scabard's Song)

СNo, I tried to kiss a witch. I did kiss a witch.Т
Soldier laughed, despite the gravity of the situation he was in.
СNow why would anyone want to kiss a witch? TheyТre the ugliest creatures in Guthrum. Have you a fondness for warts? The seven gods preserve you, Spagg, you never cease to amaze ж me.Т
СIt was dark,Т cried Spagg, defensively. СHow was I to know she was a witch? It was that damned Gnarlggut. She was sort of lurking around the tents. I thought she was a strumpet looking for customers. So I grabbed her and said, УHere I am, darlingФ, and gave her a smacker, right on the lips.Т His expression turned sheepish. СIТd had a few too many drinks. When my lips stuck to hers I thought we was a match made in heaven, till I smelled burninТ flesh - my flesh. Then I had to rip away, leavinТ some of my skin behind. She laughed, the sow. She cackled like a crow and walked off, licking around her mouth. Bloody witches.Т
СThis is highly entertaining,Т said Soldier. СI need a little light relief to escape my troubles. So, when did this raging desire for sex with women overcome you? YouТve always shown remarkable restraint in that direction. Food and drink, yes, you indulge yourself to the full. Money, why that is never safe when youТre around. But women have never been a priority with you, so far as I remember.Т
СAh, well, you see, I was with Golgath and some of your captains a while before I saw the witch who I thought was a trollop. They was talking about Captain Cossaona, praising him for being a two-lamp man. IТd had a few, as I say, by that time. I was Ч was jealous of him, this Cossaona. The captains spoke with great envy in their voices. Golgath kept saying that he wished he had CossaonaТs stamina, that he was one of the worldТs greatest lovers. Well, I wanted to be a great lover. I wanted men and women to talk about me the way they talked about Cossaona . . .Т
СWait a minute, wait a minute, youТve lost me. A two-lamp man? What in ThegТs name is that?Т
Spagg was, as usual, amazed by SoldierТs ignorance of certain matters which Guthrumites took for granted.
A two-lamp man? Why, you know, some women require their lovers to keep Ч well, you know, to keep on going until the lamp goes out, before Ч before . . . you know.Т
Spagg was clearly becoming embarrassed, so Soldier helped him out by suggesting, СBefore reaching orgasm themselves?Т
СOrgasm. I didnТt know there was a proper word for it. I only know the rude one. Yes, thatТs it. You know a woman can do it lots of times, to a manТs one time. Well, to satisfy the woman a man needs to keep goinТ and goinТ for a long time without orgamating. So the woman fills the lamp with oil, lays naked and spread-eagled on the silk pillows like an offering to the gods, and says, УOff you trot, my lovely husky hunk, until the wick dims and the light goes out, then you yourself may orgamate.ФТ
СClimax is the word we normally use. IТm not sure the scribes would approve of orgamate. So, a two-lamp man is one who can keep going for the length of time it takes two lamps, one after the other, to burn through their oilТ Soldier was intrigued. СWhat about the size of the lamp?Т
СOh, itТs got to be a standard-sized lamp. You canТt have Сem coming in with an oil lamp the size of an elephant, can you? I mean, fairТs fair. But, you see, all this talk got me going . . .Т
СAroused you.Т
СYou know all the proper words, donТt you? Yes, roused me up, until I thought I had to have a woman. So off I went, looking for one. A willing one, oТ course. I donТt hold with forcing a woman.Т
СI should think not Ч I hang my warriors for that.Т
СYes, and quite right too, General. No, I was looking for a willing partner, and saw this maid lurking around, lookinТ under tent flaps, as if calling for custom. She had the right sort of shape to her, so I grabbed her and gave her a kiss. I mean, thatТs not farcinТ her, is it?Т
СIt is certainly taking liberties with a stranger, Spagg, and if that had been a young maid, and not an elderly crone, you might have been in great trouble. As it is, there is no reason why witches canТt bring charges for unlawful assault, but since Gnarlggut hasnТt brought it to my attention you might get away with it this time. Let this be a strong lesson to you, Spagg, not to attack Ч yes, itТs no good looking at me like that Ч attack females. Seek their consent first. What if that had been my wife?Т
СMy head would be on a pointed stick by now?Т
СExactly, decorating my bedpost. Think before you act. You may accost all the cream cakes and beer bottles in the kingdom you like, but do not force unwanted attentions on females young or old, or youТll get more than burned lips.Т
СIТm sorry I told you all this now. I didnТt want a lecture, I wanted sympathy. I shouldТve said it was hot soup. Well, thanks for nothinТ, General, IТm off for a walk.Т He glanced nervously towards the tent opening. СI only hope that witch ainТt about. She might of got a taste for me. You canТt trust witches, you know. They ainТt as law-abiding as us real people. AnТ theyТre like man-eating tigers Ч once they get a taste for human flesh . . .Т
After his talk with Spagg, Soldier went for a walk himself, to stare at the walls of the city which towered above the red tents of his army. So, it seemed that though the regime inside those walls was not wanted by the citizens who lived there and was perpetrating murder upon its population, he Ч Soldier - would be unable to intervene. It was not his way. It was not his way at all. To smash down the gates would take but a short time. To pour his warriors into the city, that was his desire. To drag Humbold and Kaff out into the street and behead them, as they had done with the rightful queen, that was SoldierТs way. All these damn politics. They got in the way of justice. Yes, he was bursting to behead and quarter those villains, Humbold and Kaff, and scatter their remains over unhallowed ground.
Kaff! Now there was a man he took pleasure in challenging to single mortal combat every day, and would feel no regret in killing when the time came. Kaff, when he had been a captain in the Guthrum Imperial Guard, had been in love with Layana. Was still in love with Layana. And SoldierТs wife had never completely denied Kaff the right to be in love with her. Oh, she had never reciprocated in full, but had always regarded Captain Kaff Ч as he had been then Ч as one of her protectors, as a friend. Well, how much of a friend was he now?
When Soldier had condemned Kaff for decapitating her sister, Layana had said, СWe donТt know it was him. He may have tried to prevent it. It was probably Humbold who ordered it.Т So she was still clinging to shreds of affection for the man - SoldierТs deadly enemy - even though Soldier was in no doubt of his wifeТs fidelity. He knew she loved her husband fervently, without question. She simply continued to cling to the idea that Kaff was basically a good man, a man she had once considered for marriage. Soldier guessed it was that fact which kept the light burning. Layana could not believe that someone she had once been fond of could be so base and evil, for she had lost her memory and only knew what others told her of her past.
СOh, the folly of our loyalties,Т muttered Soldier, as he stepped around the graves of comrades recently killed in the fighting, Сthey will not let us look at the truth.Т
Soldier had once cut off the hand of Kaff. Now that man had a mechanical stump into which he screwed various implements, including live animals such as rats and hawks, their rumps removed and silver screw-threaded butts replacing their live rear ends. Kaff now used it as a feature to instil fear in his enemies. Next time IТll cut off his head, thought Soldier, then see if he can screw something in the place of that. The idea gave him some satisfaction, until he considered that Kaff might use a tigerТs head, or that of an eagle, and the dream turned nightmarish again.
Soldier went to the gates of the city and, as he had done ever since the day of the last battle, called for Kaff to attend him from the other side.
Eventually, after keeping him waiting a long time, the voice of Kaff came through the grille on the gate.
СWhat is it, the usual?Т
СYes, you coward. Meet me in a neutral place. Single combat.Т
Soldier could hear the grinding of teeth. СI am no coward and well you know it. But a general is not his own man Ч you know that too. I may no longer risk myself in such games. I have an army to command. I am too valuable, I am told, to throw away my life in duels.Т
СI am a general and IТm willing to do it. You have no commanders. You make the rules yourself . . .Т
Even as he was speaking Soldier knew he was going to be disappointed yet again. It was true, Kaff was many things, but he was no coward. It must have been agony for him not to rise to SoldierТs baiting, especially as Soldier and his men were hurling taunts at those on the walls, day in, night out. Humbold was the only man inside those walls who could forbid Kaff to meet Soldier in combat. He must have done so. To lose Kaff would be to lose his right hand. The false king needed a strong right hand to keep his confidence high. Kaff was that man. Humbold had probably promised Kaff SoldierТs head on a platter, one day.
СIТll be back again tomorrow,Т said Soldier.
СIt will be the same answer.Т
СYet I want to hear it from your own lips.Т
Soldier left the gate, still in his quandary.
The magic was beginning to drain from the sky now, along with the light of the day. Soldier wondered whether IxonnoxI would be coming soon, to begin his war. A war between wizards! How was that to be enacted? Was it to be single combat, or would the young IxonnoxI require an army? Would the Carthagans follow Soldier into battle against IxonnoxIТs enemy, to install a new King Magus? Soldier believed so. The fate of their own country across the Cerulean Sea was in the same hands. The presence of the King Magus affected the whole world, not just a single country, and it was in every mortalТs interest to have a just King Magus.
Flames flared to life in the watchtowers above. In the camp of the Red Pavilions the lamps were lit, the fires were burning, the torches blazing. Night had come to Zamerkand and its surrounds. The scent of tallow, perfumed lamp oil and burning faggots was in the breeze. The aromatic fragrances of the day, coming from the earth, had been put to bed.
As Soldier walked to his own tent, a midge came and whined in his ear. It seemed to be saying something to him and he consciously felt at his side where his singing scabbard - a sheath empty of its sword Ч hung from his belt. This magical scabbard had saved his life several times, for it sang when he was approached by an enemy. The scabbardТs name was Sintra, stitched in gold thread on its leather. There was also another name there, that of Kutrama, the sword. But Soldier could not remember ever having held the sword, nor did he have any inkling where it was. He just knew that Sintra yearned for her male counterpart, and Soldier hoped that one day they would be reunited again.
СI must find my long-lost sword,Т Soldier said to Layana, when he reached his tent. СA midge has told me that now is the time.Т
СA midge?Т Layana was bathed, powdered and perfumed, and now lay on silk sheets waiting for an amorous husband. Love, fortunately, has no memory to lose and she found she had deep feelings for this man she was told belonged to her. The unwanted interruption to her evening plans was somewhat exasperating. СWhat in the name of the Seven Peaks is a midge?Т
This brought Soldier up short. СOh, of course,Т he said, СIТve not seen midges here, in this world. They come from my last. In the summer we were plagued with the devils. That creature which just gave me a message must have come from my previous world Ч wherever that it.Т Things were doubly complicated because Soldier too was suffering from memory loss, but only of his former life in another place and time. СWeТre a fine pair, arenТt we?Т he added jovially, removing his breastplate and kicking off his sandals. СBoth of us with addled minds. I donТt know who I am or where I come from, and you have joined me now in this hell of blankness. You, IТm sure we can cure, but I donТt want your lunacy to return with your memory, so weТve got to do it right. We must take advice before we do anything drasticТ
СAre you coming to bed or not?Т groaned the waiting Layana. СIТve had enough of midges and memories for one night. You can go looking for your sword tomorrow. I know just the creature to help you . . .Т
The following morning she was as good as her word.
СI was speaking with a local farmer the other day, negotiating for roasting chickens, when he told me of a sword-finder,Т Layana said, as she pulled a dress over her head.
Soldier, still lying in bed, mellowed by the previous eveningТs lovemaking, frowned. СWhy would he do that?Т
СBecause I asked him. Ever since I met you a few months ago . . .Т
СMany years ago.Т
С. . . you have been bemoaning the fact that you once owned a sword called Kutrama, which you wanted back.Т