"Jennifer Roberson - CotC 6 - Daughter of the Lion" - читать интересную книгу автора (Roberson Jennifer)

born?"
"Six months' time," she said. "And 'it' will be a
'they.' "
I jerked around and stared at her. "Two?"
"Aye, so the physicians say." Aileen smiled again,
speaking easily. "A family trait, I'm told. First
Brennan and Hart, then you and Corin. And now
тАФ?" She shrugged. "We'll be seeing what we see."
She did it well, I thought. Only her eyes betrayed
her. "Two," I repeated. "You nearly died of Aidan,
and he was only one."
Aileen shrugged again. "I'm larger, now, from
Aidan. It should be easier this time, and the physi-
cians are telling me twins are always smaller."
I could barely stifle a shout. "By the gods, Aileen,
you nearly bled to death! What do the physicians say
to that?"
It wiped the forced gaiety from her face. "D'ye
think I don't know?" she cried. "D'ye think I rejoiced
when they told me?" Such white, white flesh set in
the frame of brilliant red hair; such green, fright-
ened eyes, now dilated black. " 'Twas all I could do
not to vomit from the fear . . . not to disgrace myself
before them, even as I saw the looks in their eyes.
They are afraid, too . . . but heirs are worth the risk,
and Aidan is oversmall and sickly. There's a need
for other sons." Fingers clutched the folds of her
skirts. "Gods, Keely, what am I to do?"
 "Lose it," I said succinctly. Then, more clearly,
"Lose them."
Aileen nearly gaped. Then closed her mouth
and wet her lips with a tongue that shook a little.
"Lose them," she echoed.
"There are herbs," I said impatiently. "Herbs to
make you miscarry."
Aileen's voice sounded drugged. "You want me
to kill my bairns?"
"Better them than you." Sweat was drying on
my face, against my scalp, beneath the leathers I
wore: leggings baggy at the knees; sleeveless
Cheysuli jerkin, belted snug; quilted, longsleeved
undertunic, cuffs knotted at my wrists. I needed
a bath badly, but this was more important.
"Brennan has an heir. He needs a queen as well."
"Oh, Keely." With effort, she shook her head. "Oh
тАФ KeelyтАФno. No. Kill my bairns? How could I?
How could you even suggest it?"
"Easily," I told her. "If it is a choice between
losing you or keeping you, I would sooner lose the
babies."