"Michael A. Stackpole - Dragon Crown Saga 1 - The Dark Glory War" - читать интересную книгу автора (Stackpole Michael A)

worked hard. You still make mistakes, youтАЩve still things to learn, but you donтАЩt quit, and
your loyalty to friends, especially the Norringtons, well, that fires my heart, it does.
тАЬNow your mother, she is fair to bursting with pride in you, but sheтАЩs also fit to weep
at losing you. YouтАЩll be remem-bering that, Tarrant, and youтАЩll put up with her fussing
about. When youтАЩre finally a man, sheтАЩll learn to retreat a bitтАФand likely youтАЩll have an
appreciation of her that youтАЩve not had before. For now, though, know your growing up
is as difficult on her as it will be on you.тАЭ
I nodded solemnly and felt the maskтАЩs tails gently slapping my neck. тАЬIтАЩd not do
anything to hurt her or you.тАЭ
тАЬI know, youтАЩre a good lad.тАЭ He patted my knee with a calloused hand. Liverspots and
scars were woven together in his flesh. тАЬYouтАЩre also going to have to remember that you
wear the mask everywhere, at all times, save here in your home, with your family. Yes, I
know there are those who think shedding the mask amid friends is acceptable, but weтАЩre
an old family. WeтАЩve taken the mask since the days when one had to, and weтАЩre not
surrendering a tradition for which our ancestors shed blood. Promise me, boy, that youтАЩll
always wear your mask.тАЭ
I laid my hand on top of his. тАЬYou have my promise.тАЭ
тАЬGood.тАЭ He glanced down at the floor for a moment, then nodded. тАЬYour brothers,
theyтАЩre good men, but not quite as bright as you. When I gave them their masks, I gave
them some advice about what will be going on in the next month. For you IтАЩve not got
anything to say that you donтАЩt already know. For some people the Moon Month is a
chance to start over. For others itтАЩs a chance to start. For you, though, it is a chance to
continue learning and growing into the man you want to be.тАЬ
He straightened, then looked down at me. тАЬYou know, Tarrant, IтАЩve no favorites
among my children. I love you all, but I will say this: if I were out in the forests and lost,
with frostclaws coursing me, thereтАЩs one of you I know would find me and help me.
ThatтАЩs you, lad. The others would try, donтАЩt get me wrong, but youтАЩd manage it. By luck
or pluck, youтАЩd do it. For that reason among many I am very proud of you.тАЭ
The pride welling up in my chest robbed me of words. I smiled at my father and he
nodded in return.
тАЬCome on, lad, IтАЩll be introducing you to your family now.тАЭ He opened the door to my
room, then ushered me onto the walkway that provided access to the houseтАЩs upper
rooms. My mother and my two brothers had gathered in the entry-way, at the base of
the stairsтАФjust this side of the entrywayтАЩs mask-curtainтАФbut I did nothing more than
glance at them. In keeping with custom, they did not even acknowledge my existence.
I preceded my father down the stairs, then let him pass me. He cleared his throat and
my unmasked kin smiled at him. тАЬThis being the fifteenth day of the month of Gold, I
would like to present to you a new Hawkins. He is Tarrant.тАЭ
I bowed my head to them. тАЬI am pleased to make your acquaintance.тАЭ
My oldest brother, Doke, wearing a semiserious expression on his face, offered me his
hand. тАЬCaptain Doke Hawkins of the Frontier Lancers, at your service.тАЭ
тАЬAnd I am Sallitt Hawkins, Lieutenant in the Oriosan Scouts.тАЭ Sallitt swept a hank of
red hair out of his eyes and shook my hand. тАЬTarrant, you say? I once knew a Tarrant
Hawkins. Bit of a bother.тАЭ
My mother hissed at him. тАЬHush now, Sal. Pleased to be meeting you, Tarrant.тАЭ
тАЬThe pleasure is all mine.тАЭ I took my motherтАЩs heart hand in mine and kissed it gently.
She turned away quickly so I couldnтАЩt see her face. Dawn light pouring in through the
front windows caught the long veins of grey running through her brown hair. IтАЩd noticed
them before and had even kidded her about them. But now, seeing them through the
slits in a moonmask, I felt the first cold jolt of mortality. My mother and father had been