"Irene Radford - Merlins Descendents 01 - Guardian Of The Balance" - читать интересную книгу автора (Radford Irene)

became talons, ready to rip out MyrddinтАЩs throat.
Myrddin refused to believe that this was the end of this life. He could still complete any task the gods set for him.
Arthur was too important to BritainтАЩs future to abandon. One night of passion in honor of the Goddess shouldnтАЩt
negate a lifetime of faithful work for the gods.
тАЬWe must train another to insure the continuance of our kind.тАЭ Dana bowed her head sadly. тАЬThe faeries will help us.
If your successor fails, we, the gods, will be forced to abandon your world for another dimension, and so will the
faeries. As we speak, the portals between worlds dim and grow weak. Other portals open wider. A balance must be
maintained.тАЭ тАЬIsnтАЩt the propagation of children the way to insure that our way of life, our beliefs, our unity with all life
continues through the ages?тАЭ Myrddin pleaded with her.
тАЬOur people must face the Christians first.тАЭ Lleu stood, fists clenched against the table of judgment. тАЬ тАШTwill take a
special child with intense training to survive the strength of their missionaries.тАЭ
тАЬThe Romans massacred all but a handful of us. Can the followers of the White Christ do worse? They are meek. They
carry no weapons. They shout peace and love from the hilltops. We should join them, show them the beauty of our
ways. Together we would become invincible,тАЭ Myrddin said, his voice falling into the pattern of song and story.
тАЬHad you honored your geas, protected your gift of prophecy with celibacy, you could have been the bridge between
two faiths.тАЭ Lleu sat down again, once more fully a man.
тАЬI still canтАФwith or without my gift. It is only a tool, not a necessity to my life.тАЭ
тАЬThe Christians respect marriage and fidelity. They do not understand our reverence for the Beltane Festival, and so
you have been kept separate from it. They cannot and will not respect and listen to you, an active participant in a
ritual they abhor.тАЭ
тАЬOne lapse, in honor of Dana, the one who is all of you and all mortal life combined, need not establish a pattern for
the rest of my life. For centuries The Merlin and The Morrigan have shared the guidance of Britain, as a couple, joined
in purpose in rituals more binding than marriage. I have always considered Deirdre my spouse though I have not lain
with her until tonight.тАЭ He paused to gather his wits. The gods remained silent, listening, waiting for a better
argument.
тАЬI am a bard and a magician. I can help blend the best of our ways with the best of Christianity. Is not their Mary, the
mother of Jesus, another manifestation of the Goddess? Is not the respect for all life as their godтАЩs creation similar to
ours, as well as the cycle of birth, life, death, and rebirth? Do they not invoke Pridd, Awyr, Tanio, and Dwfr in their
rituals as do we? The pattern of our joint effort is clear. United, with Arthur leading us, we can drive back the Saxons
who threaten Britain and you,тАЭ he sang as if retelling a great epic. His voice swelled and filled the void with the
majesty of his destiny. Images of glorious battle and victory flitted around the circle of light. Bright banners among
the ranks of soldiers depicted all of the gods marching with them. Dana watched the future unfolding before them and
nodded.
тАЬYou have the silver tongue of a bard,тАЭ Belenos laughed, banishing the images. тАЬAnd the wisdom of a magician to
find and interpret the patterns of life beyond the restriction of time,тАЭ Lleu added, bringing the visions back. тАЬ And the
charm of a diplomat,тАЭ the Goddess smiled. She plucked the banner bearing her image from the visions flickering about
them, gathering it to her breast.
Light filtered into the abyss.
тАЬYou chose my destiny before I was born. You chose me to make Arthur Ardh Rhi, the High King who will save Britain
and both religions,тАЭ Myrddin pleaded one last time.
тАЬYour arguments have been heard.тАЭ LleuтАЩs presence grew stronger as the others receded. тАЬFor the well-being of
Arthur and our people, I forgive this one lapse. We mark your body as a perpetual reminder of your geas against
women. We charge you to continue your tutelage of Arthur and those who will form his warband, to raise your
successor, and keep your pledge to Deirdre. You promised to return to her before dawn. In your heart you offered love
and protection. That oath continues to her child. You must protect the child who will maintain the balance of open and
closed portals between dimensions.тАЭ тАЬChild? We conceived a child this night?тАЭ Myrddin sat heavily in the South chair
at the stunning news. тАЬA child to carry my heart and knowledge into the next generation, and the next.тАЭ
тАЬA child you must protect at all costs. Deirdre cannot survive the birthing.тАЭ The image of Lleu faded along with the
judgment table and the other gods. тАЬOn the day the child is born and Deirdre leaves her earthly body, you and your
child must go into exile from your college of Druids. But rememberтАжтАЭ The booming voice that had moments ago filled