"R. Garcia y Robertson - Firebird" - читать интересную книгу автора (Robertson R Garcia Y)

тАЬA Witch? But of course. And a wicked one too, from the way that potion burned meтАжтАЭ

тАЬBut she is merely my foster mother. My real mother was a queen. And I am a princess.тАЭ Not knowing
who her parents were, she felt free to invent royal ones.

Baron dтАЩRoye raised an eyebrow. тАЬPrincess in disguise, I presume?тАЭ

тАЬOf course,тАЭ she replied scornfully. тАЬWhy else would I be dressed like a peasant?тАЭ

тАЬYour majesty carries off her masquerade amazingly well.тАЭ

тАЬShush!тАЭ she whispered. From atop the ridge came the firebirdтАЩs man call. She listened harder. The call
came again, fading as the bird took flight. Someone was coming. She asked, тАЬAre there men after you?тАЭ

тАЬIndeed, though for no good reason.тАЭ

She hastily finished her stitching, saying, тАЬI must hide you.тАЭ She had no fear for herself, but the thought of
seeing her newfound knight hurt or killed was too much to bear. Helping him to his feet, she guided him
up the rocks to a protruding shelf where two boulders formed a tiny cave between them, too high up to
be seen from the spring. She shoved him inside, saying, тАЬStay here.тАЭ

тАЬOnly if your majesty promises to come for me,тАЭ he replied.

тАЬI will.тАЭ She truly wanted to see more of him, only not right now. Not with men coming.

тАЬPromise?тАЭ

тАЬI swear.тАЭ She pushed him farther into the cave, where there was no chance of him being seen from
below.

тАЬBring food,тАЭ he begged.

тАЬI will,тАЭ she hastily agreed.

тАЬAnd wine.тАЭ

She did not bother to answer, scrambling back down the rocks to the spring. Taking his mountтАЩs reins,
she turned the horse away from the spring.

тАЬGood wine. If your highness has it.тАЭ

Still thirsty, the horse balked at being led off by a stranger. She had to heave on the reins to get him
pointed back the way she wanted to go. Her knight called down to her, тАЬAnd what about my horse?тАЭ

тАЬI will hide him too,тАЭ she promised, pulling harder, hauling the unwilling animal away from the spring.

тАЬAu revoir,тАЭ he called out.

тАЬSilence, please,тАЭ she shouted back, mortified to be making so much noise with strangers in the woods.