"Elizabeth Vaughan - Chronicles Of The Warlands 03 - Warlord" - читать интересную книгу автора (Vaughan Elizabeth)

I sighed, prepared for Marcus's scorn. "When we were in camp, when Iften was standing over Keir.
That scared me Marcus." I gestured toward the others. "I can't be deadweight. You said yourself that the
Plains are hard. I thought I could at least learn how toтАФ" the words came hard. "How to fight."

Marcus considered me long enough that I blushed and looked away. "I know it must seem sillyтАФ"

"No, Warprize." Marcus looked off, down the valley, toward the Plains, and sighed. "Death comes in an
instant, and you are learning that truth. A harsh truth, but a truth nonetheless." He shook his head. "But
you are on the wrong path."

"She wants to learn." Rafe protested. "What's the harm?"

Marcus turned to face Rafe. "Let me show you." Even as the words left his mouth, he'd launched himself
at Ander, with no warning or sign, so fast I never really saw him move.

What I did see was Ander ward off Marcus's dagger with his own blade, which he drew with
unbelievable speed. It all happened so fast, and then they stood there, Ander at guard and Marcus
making no further move.

Marcus stepped back, and bowed his head to Ander, who inclined his head in return. The weapons were
sheathed, and Marcus turned back to me. "You see?"

I frowned, puzzled, and answered honestly. "No."

Marcus had a patient look on his face. "Ander had no need to think of the 'how'. He reacted. He knows
the blade, knows the movements, knows in the depths of his body and blood. Has known since he cut
his first teeth and his thea handed him his first blade."

I blinked. First tooth? But that wasтАФ

"You think, Warprize." Marcus continued his lecture. "You think, and then you tell your body and that
delay is fatal. Never mind the weight of the shield, never mind that youтАФ"

"You give babies weapons?"

Marcus fixed his eye on me. "What do you mean by 'babies'?"

The language again. Just when I think I know the language of the Firelander, something new comes up.
"Babies. Children that still crawl and soil theirтАФ" I bit my lip. "Like Meara, the babe we found in the
village."

Marcus shook his head. "No. First teeth." He opened his mouth and showed me his teeth. "All their first
tooths."

I thought for a minute. He meant the first set of baby teethтАФall of them. Which meant they gave weapons
to children that were roughly two and a half, maybe three years old.

"Wooden blades, Warprize. The first weapon is wooden." Marcus looked at me closely. "The first true
blade is at the first true tooth. You understand?"