"Patricia C. Wrede - Lyra 1 - Shadow Magic" - читать интересную книгу автора (Wrede Patricia C)

freedom of the city, overcoming all objections ofтАжтАЭ His speech was abruptly stifled by a heavy wool
horse-blanket, thrown accurately over his head by the friend he was addressing. Har emerged a
moment later, grinning broadly.
тАЬAt least thereтАЩs one good thing about being heir to a Noble House,тАЭ Har said as the two set
off in search of the Master Trader. тАЬI know more about protocol and persuasion than just about
anybody. We wonтАЩt have any trouble with Master Goldar; youтАЩll see.тАЭ
Whether because of HarтАЩs vaunted diplomatic talents or for some reason of his own, the
caravan master not only released the journeyman for the week, but went so far as to give him the
freedom of the town for the entire month of the caravanтАЩs stay in Brenn. The two guards set off, with
Har making much of his own skill in achieving such a desirable result. Maurin pointedly ignored him
until he changed the subject. By that time, the two had reached the wide avenue that led straight from
the western gate of Brenn to the large stone building in the center of town. They turned away from
the gates, and Har darted a sharp look at his friend.
тАЬNow what are you shaking your head about?тАЭ he asked.
тАЬThat,тАЭ Maurin said, waving toward the building in front of them. Even from this distance, Styr
Tel loomed above the jumble of homes and shops and inns. It bore little resemblance to the ornate
palaces and castles of Alkyran nobles in other cities.
тАЬWhatтАЩs wrong with it?тАЭ Har demanded. тАЬHurry up; I donтАЩt want them to find out the caravanтАЩs
in before I get there.тАЭ Har started toward Styr Tel. Finding no adequate reply, Maurin followed.
The street was full of the cheerfully miscellaneous crowd of a trade city. Peasants, guildsmen,
merchants and Traders jostled visitors and townsfolk alike. A man from Rathane in gaudy robes
walked past the deadly, black-clad figure of an assassin from beyond the Mountains of Morravik.
Three dark-skinned desert people bargained in loud voices with a man who spoke with the accent of
Ciaron. And everywhere there were men in soldiersтАЭ dress. Some, like Har and Maurin, wore the
leather of caravan guards, but many were dressed in the colors of the city. Several times Har and
Maurin had to stop and wait while a band of soldiers marched by.
During the third such incident, Maurin looked at Har and said, тАЬI have never understood why
Brenn has so many more soldiers than the other trade towns. It isnтАЩt that much more dangerous to
be right on the border.тАЭ
Har laughed. тАЬAs well ask why a fortress has so many caravans passing through!тАЭ
Maurin frowned in puzzlement. Har looked at him. тАЬYou really donтАЩt know?тАЭ
тАЬIf I did, I wouldnтАЩt ask.тАЭ
тАЬUnless you had some other reason,тАЭ Har grinned. тАЬBut IтАЩll tell you anyway. Brenn is both
fortress and trade town, but it is a fortress first. My great-grandfather founded it about two hundred
and fifty years ago, right after the Lithmern invasion was stopped at Eirith. The idea was to prevent
the Lithmern from ever overrunning Alkyra again; Brenn sits right in the gap between the Kathkari
Mountains,тАЭ he waved to the north, тАЬand the Snake Mountains.тАЭ Har waved toward the south.
тАЬNobody can get into Alkyra from the west without passing Brenn, so of course it became a trade
town too. But it is still the first line of defense for northern and western Alkyra.тАЭ
Maurin found it easy to believe Styr Tel had once been a fortress. It was surrounded by a high
stone wall, set back from the houses of Brenn as if to prevent an attack from the upper stories of the
homes and shops. Above the wall, two tall black towers rose to command a view of the entire city;
from this angle, they were all of the Styr that could be seen.
Time and custom had made a marketplace of the open area between the low buildings of the
town and the walls of Styr Tel. Maurin and Har wove through the merchants and townspeople to the
gates, ignoring the persuasive calls of the dealers. The guards recognized Har at once, and let him
and Maurin through the gate without challenge. As they entered the courtyard, Maurin got his first
close view of Styr Tel.
Black stone, polished smooth, filled his eyes. Styr Tel was made of it. The place was
enormous; MaurinтАЩs head bent back as he tried to see it all. He could easily imagine a company of