"Angus Wells - Exiles 01 - Exile's Children" - читать интересную книгу автора (Wells Angus)

Kahteney appeared oblivious, or careless, but the Commacht was relieved when they forded the stream
and came amongst the lodges of his own clan.
From where the tents of the unmarried men were pitched there came a great clamor, laughter and shouts
and dancing. They celebrated RannachтАЩ s triumph with tiswin: Morrhyn hoped they would not drink so
much as to carry their merrymaking across the stream. He wished he could share their carefree joy.
Racharran and Yazte sat outside the Commacht akamanтАЩ s lodge, a pitcher passing from hand to hand.
They laughed and jested, but more soberly than the young men, as befitted mature warriors. Space was
made for the two wakanishas, and Morrhyn accepted a cup that Racharran filled. Lhyn, he saw, was not
present, and assumed she saw to the settling of Arrhyna and her parents, whose lodge the girl would
continue to share until the ceremony was concludedтАФ the usual safeguard against a groom rendered
overly amorous by tiswin.
тАЬ Nemeth and Zeil are settled?тАЭ he asked.
Racharran nodded, his face a moment dark.
Yazte chuckled and said, тАЬ Chakthi watched their going like some bile-ridden buffalo, then announced
them banished from the Tachyn. Ach, it was a sight to savor, his black face.тАЭ
Morrhyn essayed a smile, not wishing to offend.
тАЬ We spoke of the Grannach,тАЭ Racharran said.
Yazte said, тАЬ Of their absence.тАЭ
Morrhyn felt a fresh prickling of doubt. The Stone Folk attended the Matakwa each year, coming down
from their high caves and secret tunnels to trade their metalwork with the PeopleтАФ had since first the
clans came to Ket-Ta-WitkoтАФ but the Meeting Ground had been filled for three days now and usually the
Grannach would have appeared on the first. That they had not seemed to the wakanisha a further
confirmation that all was not well. Lacking any explanation of their absence, he only shrugged.
тАЬ When shall you hold Dream Council?тАЭ Racharran asked.
тАЬ Once Rannach and Arrhyna are wed,тАЭ Morrhyn replied. тАЬ When shall that be?тАЭ
тАЬ IтАЩ d see her parentsтАЩ horses safe,тАЭ Racharran said, тАЬ and then announce the wedding. The horses
tomorrow, the wedding the next day?тАЭ
тАЬ Yes.тАЭ Morrhyn stifled a sigh and took the pitcher, filling his cup. Perhaps tiswin would still his fear a little.
тАЬ YouтАЩ ll feast them?тАЭ
тАЬ Modestly,тАЭ Racharran said. тАЬ IтАЩ d not see my sonтАЩ s pride too swollen, nor seem to flaunt the thing in
ChakthiтАЩ s face.тАЭ
тАЬ ThatтАЩ s wise,тАЭ the wakanisha said. тАЬ And perhaps the Grannach shall be here by then.тАЭ
тАЬ IтАЩ d throw a great feast,тАЭ Yazte declared, laughing, тАЬ and make a point of inviting Chakthi and Vachyr.тАЭ He
paused, still laughing. тАЬ Or perhaps a point of not inviting them.тАЭ
Morrhyn thought the akaman had taken his fair share and more of the tiswin. Racharran said, тАЬ I shall
invite Chakthi and HadduthтАФ it should be insult otherwise.тАЭ
Yazte snorted, but Kahteney nodded approvingly, Morrhyn said, тАЬ Might you not ask Juh to arrange it? Will
Chakthi listen to anyone, it must be him. And does Chakthi accept, then it must surely be a step toward
settling these differences.тАЭ
тАЬ That should be a wise move, I thinkтАФ if it works,тАЭ Racharran said soberly.
тАЬ I am outvoted, then,тАЭ said Yazte, reaching for the pitcher. тАЬ But I tell you, that sour face will spoil my
appetite.тАЭ
Racharran reached out to grasp the LakantiтАЩ s wrist. тАЬ Does he accept, my friend, then I ask that you bear
that spoiling. I charge you to curb your tongue and not give him cause for further offense.тАЭ
тАЬ Me?тАЭ YazteтАЩ s eyes rounded and he slapped a hand to his chest in mockery of innocence. тАЬ Offend
Chakthi, me?тАЭ
тАЬ Yes,тАЭ Racharran said. тАЬ Have I your word?тАЭ
YazteтАЩ s lips pursed as if he contemplated the matter, then he shrugged. тАЬ It shall be hard, but yes. IтАЩ d not
see your sonтАЩ s wedding feast spoiled. ThoughтАж тАЭ His smile grew broader. тАЬ I think ChakthiтАЩ s presence
shall not improve it much.тАЭ