"Melanie Rawn - Dragon Prince 1 - Dragon Prince" - читать интересную книгу автора (Rawn Melanie)

she heard laughter from the main courtyard outside her windows, she assumed
the boys were being entertained by one or another of the grooms. She glanced
outside to find Jahni astride a dappled pony and Maarken riding a bay, each
child brandishing a wooden sword at a young man who flourished a crimson cloak
like dragon wings. But the twins' playmate was definitely not one of the
grooms.
"Rohan!" she called down to the courtyard. "Whatever are you doing?"
"Dragon, Mama!" Jahni shouted, waving his sword. "Watch me!"
As the twins attempted to ride down the heir to the Desert Princedom, Tobin
shook her head in fond exasperation. She dismissed her secretary and hurried
to the staircase, muttering to herself. "Honestly! Wrapped around their
fingers! A prince in his position, playing dragon for a couple of five-year-
olds!" But there was affection in her voice and as she emerged from the foyer
into the courtyard she laughed as Rohan. dealt a glancing blow on his "wing"
by Maarken's sword, fluttered the cloak and sank to the ground like a dying
dragon.
Tobin regarded her loudty trnoapbaaf oftsprtng v, ith a sigh, then turned to
her brother. "Do get op from there and stop playing the fooi." *e xoMed. He
peeked up at her. bnght-eyed, from mAa *e doriL ~Aad as for you." she said to
her *тАвтАв&. 'Tafce *OK pones back to their safe Md do┬лt one tadfc ┬лMi forte seen
to their
comfort. Your grandsire didn't give them to you to have you neglect them."
"I killed the dragon, Mama, did you see?" Maarken exulted.
"Yes, darling, I saw, and a very good warrior you are, too. Now, you'll excuse
the dragon while he talks with me for a while, won't you?"
The dragon stood up and brushed courtyard dirt from his clothes. "I've heard
it said that dragons have a taste for gobbling up princessesтАФthe prettier the
better."
"Not this princess," Tobin said firmly, then laughed as Rohan began to stalk
her, cloak flapping. "You wouldn't dare!"
The twins squealed with glee as he rushed forward and folded her in his cloak.
Ignoring her cries of protest, he dumped her unceremoniously into the horse
trough. Tobin spluttered, spat water, and glared at her brother.
"Hot as a hatching cave today," he observed casually, and climbed in beside
her.
She swept his feet out from under him with a well-placed kick. He collapsed in
the knee-deep water, yelling his outrage. "Ever seen a drowned dragon?" she
asked sweetly, and hastily backed off as he made a grab for her.
"You've just about drowned a prince!" he grinned, slicking back wet hair.
Tobin gathered up her sopping skirts and climbed out of the trough. "If you
two don't want to share a similar fate ..." she warned her sons playfully.
It was invitation enough. They bounced off their ponies and jumped into the
trough for a water fight. She gleefully joined in, helping the boys dunk Rohan
thoroughly. At lastтАФbreathless, soaked, and victoriousтАФthe boys went off to
tend their ponies. Rohan picked himself up and climbed out of the trough and
grinned at Tobin.
"There! You've been looking entirely too regal and serious the last few days.
Now you look human again."
She batted at his wet blond head. "Imbecile! Come on, let's go dry off in the
garden where no one will see us. Mother will have us skinned if we drip all