"Sherwood Smith - Crown and Court Duet - 02 - Court Duel" - читать интересную книгу автора (Smith Sherwood)

my defense.
But I escapedтАФwith helpтАФand limped my way back toward home, chased by two armies. Both
Branaric and I nearly got killed before we found out that some of King Galdran's Court aristocratsтАФled
by the Marquis of ShevraethтАФhad actually been working to get rid of the King without launching civil
war.

King Galdran and Baron Debegri forced us into a final battle, in which they were killed. After that
Branaric rode with the Marquis and his allies to the royal palace Athanarel in Remalna-city, the capital,
and I retreated home. As a reward for our aid, ShevraethтАФwho was favored to become the new
kingтАФturned over Galdran's personal fortune to Branaric and me.

That much, I know, is in the records.

What the scribes don't tell, because they don't know, is exactly howтАФand whyтАФI subsequently got
mixed up again in royal affairs.

It began with a letter from the Marquise of MerindarтАФsister of the late King Galdran.


ONE

I STOOD AT MY WINDOW, AN OLD BUT COMFORTABLE blanket wrapped about me. The
warmth of the low midwinter sun through the new paned glass was pleasant as I read again the letter that
had arrived that day.

Esteemed Countess Meliara:

I have had the pleasure of meeting, and entertaining, your estimable brother, Count Branaric. At
every meeting he speaks often and fondly of his sister, who, he claims, was the driving spirit
behind the extraordinary events of last year.

He also promised that you will come join us at Court, but half a year has passed, and we still
await you. Perhaps the prospect of life at the Palace Athanarel does not appeal to you?

There are those who agree with this sentiment. I am one myself. I leave soon for my home in
Merindar, where I desire only to lead a quiet life. It is with this prospect in mind that I have taken
up my pen; I would like, very much, to meet you. At Merindar there would be time, and seclusion,
to permit leisurely discourse on subjects which have concerned us bothтАФespecially now, when the
country has the greatest need of guidance.

Come to Merindar. We can promise you the most pleasant diversions.

I await, with anticipation, your responseтАФor your most welcome presence.

And it was signed in a graceful, flourishing hand, Arthal Merindar.

A letter from a Merindar. I had brought about her brother's defeat. Did she really want friendship? I
scanned it for perhaps the tenth time. There had to be a hidden message.

When I came to the end, I looked up and gazed out my window. The world below the castle lay white