"Russell, Sean - Initiate Brother 1 - Initiate Brother" - читать интересную книгу автора (Russell Sean)

The practice of condemning messengers, the Supreme Master
thought, had not developed without reason. The old man looked
down at the scroll he had received from the Floating City that very
morning and he shook his head. A lifetime of dedication and effort
and still he received messages like this. It seemed a great
injustice.

Brother Hutto, the Primate of the Floating City, wrote that Botahist
Brothers were being accosted on their travels by criminals and
ruffians: accosted by the people of the Empire!

The Supreme Master slowly began to roll the mulberry paper
scroll. The attacks were not the true problemЧone would have to
search a lifetime to find someone more able to defend himself
than a Brother of the FaithЧit was what these attacks said about
the situation in the Empire and the attitude of the new Emperor.
This was the Supreme MasterТs real concern.

He set the scroll on the corner of his writing table. Brother Hutto
had written that several of these robbers had been injured recently,
but this did not seem to be a deterrent. If anything, the attacks
were increasing. The old monk reached for the scroll as if to read it
again, but stopped himself. There could be no doubt of what it
said.

If only the Emperor would turn his attention to the roads! That
would be an indication that this new dynasty was capable of
something more than ambition.

The Supreme Master took a deep calming breath. Emperors, he
reminded himself, come and go; the Faith

is eternal. It was important to keep the proper perspective.

Of course, Brother Hutto had recommended that a display might
be appropriate. It was an old solution but one that had not been
employed for many years. The Supreme Master lifted the scroll
again and hefted it as though it were Brother HuttoТs suggestion he
weighed. Perhaps a Brother of the Faith should enter the
EmperorТs kick boxing tournament during the River Festival.

Yes, the Supreme Master thought, he would allow a monk to enter,
but not a senior Brother; no, that would not have the desired affect.
He would allow a junior Initiate to competeЧthe smallest, youngest
looking Initiate that could be found. That would be a message
neither Emperor nor subjects could mistake, a message to spread
down all the roads of the Empire!

Fortunately, it appeared that finding the boy would not be difficult.