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

Morrhyn thought of the meager breakfast set by in his own lodge: this should surely be better, and give
him chance to speak with the akaman of his dream and doubts. He sat, shucking off his bearskin, savoring
the odors as Lhyn took the pan bread from the flames.
They ate, as was custom, in silence, speaking only when all were done and Lhyn filled cups of Grannach
manufacture with sweet herb tea.
тАЬ I saw Rannach,тАЭ Morrhyn began. тАЬ HeтАЩ s of the same mind?тАЭ
Racharran nodded, his handsome face darkening somewhat. тАЬ My son is obstinate,тАЭ he murmured. тАЬ This
day he intends to go to Arrhyna; tomorrow Bakaan will make formal approach.тАЭ
тАЬ The Maker grant Vachyr not be there,тАЭ Morrhyn said.
тАЬ Surely not even Vachyr would sully the Meeting Ground.тАЭ Lhyn made a sign of warding as she spoke.
Her husband grunted, shrugging, тАЬ VachyrтАЩ s a temper fierce as our sonтАЩ s pride,тАЭ he declared. тАЬ I wonder if
thereтАЩ s much to choose between them.тАЭ
Lhyn gave him a disapproving frown. тАЬ IтАЩ d not liken our son to ChakthiтАЩ s,тАЭ she said. тАЬ Rannach isтАФ тАЭ
тАЬ Obstinate,тАЭ Racharran interrupted.
тАЬ His fatherтАЩ s son,тАЭ said Lhyn.
тАЬ Perhaps.тАЭ Racharran spread his hands wide. тАЬ But heтАЩ ll not listen to me in this, and his choice could not
be worse.тАЭ
тАЬ He loves her,тАЭ Lhyn said, тАЬ and she him. Would you argue that?тАЭ
тАЬ Not that they share a passion,тАЭ Racharran said. тАЬ Only that itтАЩ s a passion such as can deliver us to war.тАЭ
He turned to Morrhyn. тАЬ How say you, wakanisha?тАЭ
Morrhyn wiped deer fat from his chin and pondered awhile. Then: тАЬ I see both sides, I think. IтАЩ d wish the
Maker had guided RannachтАЩ s eyes elsewhere, but they fell on Arrhyna and theyтАЩ ll not be shifted. We
cannot forbid the marriage; neither can Chakthi. What comes of itтАж тАЭ
The akaman said, тАЬ Trouble. Were it in my power, IтАЩ d forbid it.тАЭ
тАЬ And make an enemy of our son,тАЭ said Lhyn. тАЬ HeтАЩ d take Arrhyna and go away.тАЭ
тАЬ Yes.тАЭ Racharran ducked his head in unhappy acceptance. тАЬ And so, instead, we make Chakthi our
enemy. Come summer, our folk must ride careful on the grassтАФ the gift of RannachтАЩ s desire.тАЭ
тАЬ But youтАЩ ll support him.тАЭ Lhyn said. тАЬ Does Chakthi take it before the Council?тАЭ
тАЬ Of course.тАЭ RacharranтАЩ s smile was sour with resignation. тАЬ HeтАЩ s my son. IтАЩ ve spoken with him, and my
words ran like water off stone. He knows my feelingsтАФ and MorrhynтАЩ sтАФ and heтАЩ ll not be diverted. But I
shall support him in Council.тАЭ
Lhyn smiled and filled their cups. Morrhyn said, тАЬ I dreamed again.тАЭ
Racharran said, тАЬ The same?тАЭ And when the wakanisha nodded his confirmation: тАЬ Aught of Rannach?тАЭ
Morrhyn said, тАЬ No; and that troubles me. ItтАЩ s as if this dream is so great, it drives all others out. It burns
through my nights like a prairie fire.тАЭ He shuddered despite the lodgeтАЩ s warmth. тАЬ It frightens me.тАЭ
Racharran studied his old friend, reading concern like spoor on the weathered face. That disturbed him,
and when he spoke, his voice was soft. тАЬ Can you put a meaning on it?тАЭ
тАЬ No.тАЭ Morrhyn shrugged a negative. тАЬ Save danger threatens, and a danger far greater than Chakthi
alone. Ach!тАЭ He sighed and shook his head. тАЬ I am not a very good Dreamer, that I cannot interpret this.тАЭ
Racharran said, тАЬ You are the best,тАЭ echoed by Lhyn.
Morrhyn favored them with a smile. тАЬ Thank you for your faith,тАЭ he murmured, тАЬ but it troubles me that I
sense this yet cannot discern its import.тАЭ Conscious that he slumped, he straightened his back, forcing a
more confident tone. тАЬ I shall speak of it in the Dream Council. Perhaps others have known this dream.тАЭ
Racharran nodded: these were matters for the Dreamers, not yet of immediate concern to the akamans.
Was MorrhynтАЩ s dream shared, could the wakanishas of all the clans gathered for the Matakwa put a
meaning to it, then it would become a thing for the ChiefsтАЩ Council. Until then he had worry enough
contemplating RannachтАЩ s suit.
He anticipated a summer of war, and could not help the kindled anger that it was Rannach lit the flame. In
the name of the Maker, why could the youth not see reason? Arrhyna was a prize, but there were others
aplenty, and did Rannach only set the good of the clan before his own desire, then he would forsake the