"Robert Stanek - Ruin Mist 01 - Keeper Martin's Tale" - читать интересную книгу автора (Stanek Robert)

the square before her. The silence seemed a shroud over the whole of Imtal clear to
the Braddabaggon foothills. Many stories below, the city's residents would soon
awake. The square would fill with sounds as merchants began to unpack their wares.
Palace guardsmen would muster for breakfast. City and palace would stir to life.
Yet Adrina preferred the empty moments just before all this happened, for the
silence echoed the aching of her heart. She pressed her chin into the palm of her
hand, her elbow glued to the stone framework of the wall. She sighed mournfully.
The palace was truly dead, all real life having long since been gnawed away.
She could have passed the day dreaming about things beyond the gray stone
edifice, the cold palace wall, with its portcullis tucked cleanly out of view. She had
sauntered through many a day thus, envisioning magnificent journeys to the four
corners of the land.
Great Kingdom had many holdings. High Province in the NorthтАФthe far, far
NorthтАФwhere amidst mountains of ice and stone the rivers boiled and filled the air
with blankets of fog. South, beyond a forest of great white trees called giant birch,
lay South Province with its capital city enveloped by the majestic Quashan' valley.
East through the Kingdom along the EastтАФWest road were the Territories, divided
east and west. The untamed Eastern Territories were awaiting discovery. The
Western Territories held but two Kingdom outposts: 'Zashchita and Krepost'.
Traders claimed the walled city of Zashchita was caned from the very trees of the
forest and its building lifted so far into the heavens that they were lost in the clouds.
Beyond Zashchita lay Krepost' and her ferryman who took travelers across River
Krepost' so they could begin the climb into the mountain city, and where afterward
the gatekeeper may or may not chase them over the cliffs into Statter's Bay and to
their deaths.
But today Adrina was frustrated to the point of tears. She wouldn't pass the day
dreaming of things she may never see. She didn't understand what difference the
passing of a year made. Why did it matter so that she was a year older? This year
seemed the same as the last.
She would have done anything, given anything, to be a little girl again, free to
wander the city in her brother's shadow. Together they would wander Imtal's
cobbled streets. She would pretend not to notice the press of guardsmen around
them and see only those who had come out to greet them.
A fleeting smile lit her face. She knew this could be no more. Valam was gone
now, gone to South Province, gone for good, and she, Adrina, was leaving
adolescence.
The echo of footsteps against hard stones startled her. Her eyes went wide and
she wondered if Lady Isador would venture to the walls. Her governess had
threatened to before.
Adrina didn't want to be reminded of all the things she should or should not do,
so she slipped away to the northern watchtower. At dawn the tower would be vacant
and she could be alone without fear of interruption.
Adrina wound her way up a long spiral staircase. She stopped only at the very top
to catch her breath. Here at the landing was a large, open chamber whose broad
windows were normally used to keep watch on the city's north wall and the fields
beyond. Adrina crossed the empty chamber to a window. The cool breeze on her
face tingled her nose and brushed the sweat away.
 "No lessons today," she whispered to the wind. Lessons Chancellor Yi and Lady
Isador would surely chastise her for missing themтАФif they found her.
Not today, Adrina vowed, not today.