"Paul Thompson - [Elven Nations Trilogy 3] - The Qualines" - читать интересную книгу автора (Thompson Paul B)

white-blond hair, but the clear, noble features of the House of Silvanos were unaltered by
all the years of strife.
Kith-Kanan, the Speaker of the Sun, the founder of the nation of Qualinesti, stopped
his entourage twenty paces or so from the dwarves. Alone, he went forward to meet King
Glenforth of Thorbardin.
The elf met the dwarf near a large boulder that rose up in the center of the path.
Glenforth extended his thick, powerful arms.
"Royal brother!" he said heartily. "I rejoice to see you!"
"And I you, Thane of Thanes!"
Tall elf and squat dwarf clasped hands about each other's forearms. "This is a great
day for our nations," Kith-Kanan said, stepping back. "For all of Krynn."
"There were many times I didn't think I would live to see this day," Glenforth said
frankly.
"I, too, have wondered if this new kingdom of ours could have been born without the
blood and suffering of the war. My late wife used to say that all things are born that
wayтАУwith blood and pain." Kith-Kanan nodded slowly, thinking of days gone by. "But
we're here now, that's the important thing," he added, smiling.
"Praise the gods," said the dwarf sincerely.
Kith-Kanan turned back the folds of his emerald green cape to free his left hand.
Looking to his waiting entourage, he smiled and lifted his arm, gesturing two figures
forward. Glenforth squinted his good eye and saw that the two were children, a
golden-haired boy and a brown-haired girl.
"King Glenforth, may I present my son, Prince Ulvian, and my daughter, Princess
Verhanna," Kith-Kanan said, pushing the children forward. Ulvian dragged his feet and
hung back from the unfamiliar dwarf. Verhanna, however, approached the king and
bowed deeply to him.
"You do me honor," Glenforth said, a smile flashing amidst his black beard.
"No, sire. I am the honored one," Verhanna replied, her high voice ringing clear in
the mountain air. Her large, dark brown eyes appraised the dwarf frankly, with no sign of
fear. "I've heard the bards sing of your greatness in battle. Now that I've met you, I see
the truth of their songs."
"Memories of battle are a poor comfort when one grows old and tired. I would trade
all of mine for a child like you," he said gallantly. Verhanna flushed at this praise,
stammered a thank-you, and withdrew to her father's side.
"Go on." Kith-Kanan said to his son. "Make your greetings to King Glenforth."
Prince Ulvian took a small step forward and bowed with a quick, bobbing motion.
"Greetings, Great King," he said, running his words together in his haste to get them out.
"I'm honored to meet you."
His duty done, Ulvian stepped back and hovered just behind his father.
With a fond pat on Verhanna's cheek, Kith-Kanan sent his children back to the ranks
of nobles. Turning once more to the dwarf, he said softly, "Excuse my son. He hasn't
been the same since his mother died. My daughter never really knew her mother; it's been
easier for her."
Glenforth nodded politely. Practically everyone from Hylo to Silvanost knew the tale
of Kith-Kanan and his human wife, Suzine. She had died many years before, in one of the
last battles of the Kinslayer War. Her children matured at a much slower rate than human
children, but not as slowly as full-blooded elven offspring. In human terms, both were
still quite young.
The two monarchs exchanged more polite trivialities before returning to the reason
for their meeting this morning. At a sign from Glenforth, an elderly dwarf came forward