"Karl Edward Wagner - Kane 01 - Darkness Weaves" - читать интересную книгу автора (Wagner Karl Edward)

Imel's Tale




Netisten Maril today rules as Monarch of Thovnos, from which throne he is also Emperor of the
Thovnosian Empire--an island federation south and east of the Lartroxian coast, beyond the Middle Sea
that separates the continents of Lartroxia and the Southern Lands. As you may be aware, the Empire
was formed two centuries ago from this broken subcontinent of eight major islands, some 2000 to 3000
square miles each--along with a dozen or so smaller islands and countless bits of land too small for
mention. As the largest and most powerful island, Thovnos has been the seat of empire for most of the
Empire's history, and Netisten Maril is a true descendant of a line that has long bred strong, capable
rulers.

When his father, Netisten Sirrome, died, there was but one other claimant to the throne--Netisten
Maril's older half-brother, Leyan, who was the bastard son of Netisten Sirrome and a seductive
noblewoman from Tresli. Because he was illegitimate, Leyan did not bear the dynastic name and had no
chance of succession--unless Maril should die without male heir. Thus he was dismayed when at an early
age his younger brother married a distant cousin from Quarnora and soon had her with child.

His young wife bore him a daughter, M'Cori by name, and soon after became pregnant again. But as her
time again drew near, she sickened and died without giving birth. Gossip suggests that Leyan had her
poisoned to prevent a new heir, but she was always known to be a frail child, and perhaps the strain of
bearing two children in quick succession proved more than she could endure.

Maril was unapproachable for months thereafter, his spirit tormented by several strong passions. First
was a terrible fit of frustrated rage--for he himself had laid her womb open and wrenched out the son
who lacked only a few weeks of natural birth. But he had loved her deeply, and as his rage subsided to
despair, he was, tortured with guilt--blaming himself for forcing his young wife too hard to bring him a
son. Time slowly healed the passions that tore at him, but he was left a hard and loveless man--with a
temper made worse that had never been mild. He seemed to push all thought of past or future marriage
from his mind, and the child M'Cori suffered from neglect. It was Leyan who cared for her needs--not so
much from pity, but because he himself had fathered two sturdy sons, Lages and Roget, and favored the
idea of marrying a son to their cousin, M'Cori--thus securing the succession for his line if not for himself.

The passing years favored his enterprise, as Maril remained unwed, and M'Cori grew into girlhood--a
child of startling beauty and a lack of guile that bordered on simple-mindedness. She felt a touching
gratitude toward her uncle and a clinging devotion toward his sons. Lages and Roget grew into strong
young men and were their father's pride--skilled in arms and leadership, well-favored in appearance,
adept in the graces of nobility. Leyan saw them as true princes of the blood. He was stricken when
Roget, the older and less rash of his sons, died a hero's death at twenty-two while leading his uncle's
army against rebels on the island Fisitia. He was avenged by his brother, Lages, who made up with quick
temper what he lacked of Roget's quick wit. M'Cori shared in the mourning for Roget, for the three had
grown up together as brothers and sister. But when mourning was done, she and Lages had become
lovers.