"Andrew J. Offutt - Cormac 01 - The Mists of Doom" - читать интересную книгу автора (Offutt Andrew J)

Besides, Lugaid was sure that it was Mac ErcaтАЩs plan to make the High-kingship more than it was, not only
the highest seat in Eirrin, but actually king over the other kings of the Emerald Isle. And were a western
ui-Neill to be no longer available to defend that land against Picts... or... others, and his heroic son to be
nipped whilst still abudding like a rose never to be seen, an acorn fed as mast to the pigs rather than allowed
to grow into a great strong oak...
Aye.
Not shaky my crown; neither is my seat on Eirrin тАШs highest chair. Solid both, and to be made the more so for
my sons to follow. That is, if I prepare the way for those to follow me... preserve crown and throne and thus
serve Eirrin best; for how could I do elsewise, the High-king? ...by removing any who offer the slightest threat
to crown, or throne, or honour, and future... suzerainty!
Art mocks me by naming his son Cormac!
Cormac mac Art challenges me by bearing the name, by his feat, by suffering himself to be called
Cuchulain...
Art and his weaponish son threaten Eirrin!
тАЬIt seems to me that Art and his weaponish son, Cormac and Cuchulain all combined, are threats.тАЭ
Milchu had but waited for him to speak it aloud. тАЬIt is why IтАЩm after coming direct to yourself, High-king.
тАЬThe best time to meet such threats is before they become manifest and thus even more dangerous and
harder to remove.тАЭ
тАЬThe thinking of a King of Kings, lord King,тАЭ Milchu said, and was careful to let his eyes remain flat and bland,
lest they bespeak his true opinion of this... this fearful puppet of Mac Erca!
тАЬMethinks the god of RomeтАФand of EirrinтАФshould be honoured with a fine chapel in Baile Atha Cliath...
would ye be taking such a commission, Priest?тАЭ
тАЬMy lord King does honour on me!тАЭ
тАЬAssuredly.тАЭ
тАЬAnd should I wend my way eastward to Ath Cliath by a westward route, by way of... Connacht, lord King?тАЭ
The High-kingтАЩs eyes were hooded, but he leaned forward to end the game with plain words and royally
extended forefinger.
тАЬEoin mac Gulbain were better and covered surely with honour an he avenged his fatherтАЩs loss of honour on
the man who replaced that fatherтАФand on the son!тАЭ
тАЬMilchu nodded. His eyes were agleam. He rose.
тАЬSoon, lord High-king of Eirrin, there shall have been but one Cormac mac Art in Eirrin, and him that great
king dead these two hundred years! As for the other... none shall remember him, after his death at age
fourteen!тАЭ


Chapter Two:
The Bear
A grassy branch popped loudly in the fire and one of the five men gathered about it shot out a foot to wipe the
good-sized spark into the ground. He continued rubbing that foot along the ground; little, value a well-made
buskin of good cowhide if he burned a hole in its sole. Still, one had to be mindful of the sparks. This
forestтАФSciath Connaict, the Shield of ConnachtтАФhad stood here in southern Connacht far longer than any
man had lived, and fire in a forest was a terrible thing.
Huddled in furs to ward off the breeze-brought chill of early March, the five men stared at the fire. Eyes of blue
and of grey gazed at the great haunch and leg of fresh-slain elk that sizzled on the makeshift spit theyтАЩd
constructed of good green wood gathered from close round about. Bubbling fat became grease that dripped
down to spat and sizzle and pop amid the flames. The aroma that rose thick on the air was enough to make
stomachs rumble, and stomachs did.
Beneath their furs two of the five wore mail, linked in five circles of chain again and again in the manner of
Eirrin. Two others wore the far less dearтАФand more swiftly madeтАФarmour coats of boiled leather. Bosses of
bronze winked dully. One of these men of weapons, his helm beside him and his dark hair falling loose and