[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
the hill. That is close enough so that they can reach the workshop quickly,
without staying around here."
Embor nodded in understanding. "The secret, again?"
"Yes," said Blade. "Of course, many now know what our weapon is, and how to
use it. But few know how it is made. I would rather things stayed that way
until we have met and destroyed the army of
Trawn. There is a risk in leaving the workshop weakly guarded, but it is one I
think we can afford better than having the secret leak out."
Embor did send a good many warriors to watch each of the passes through the
Mountains of Hoga.
That way no large force from Trawn could get through and devastate the lands
of Draad without being detected at once and brought to battle soon afterward.
The king also set up a line of warriors stretching from the workshop down to
the camp of the stolof killers. Each warrior stood within shouting distance of
the next. Word of any danger could fly along the line to the camp much faster
than a man could run. King
Embor was an excellent strategist and leader; Blade was not worried about
leaving that part of the campaign in his hands for now.
He still worried at times over what might have happened to Queen Sanaya. Her
fur cloak had been found, and one shredded, bloodstained boot. Did that mean
she had been attacked and killed by wild animals? It might, or it might not.
There was nothing to prove that Sanaya hadn't vanished into thin air or sunk
without a trace into the earth.
"I can hope so," said Neena. "I cannot wish even on Sanaya the death she would
receive from those of
Trawn."
"No," said Blade. "You are not eaten up with vengeance, as she would be in
your place." He kissed her and blew out the candle. After a moment he felt her
flowing against him in the darkness, warm in the chill of the forest night.
After another moment, he found himself responding as he always did.
It was the fourteenth night after the test in the arena and Queen Sanaya's
flight into the forest.
Lord Desgo reined in his meytan and raised his hand in signal for those behind
him to do the same.
Silence fell over the forest as a score of six-legged beasts ceased their
steady trot. Absentmindedly, Lord
Desgo scratched his mount between its long golden-furred ears, then swung
himself down out of the saddle. The warriors behind him did the same, then
gathered around him.
"I think I need say what we are to do only once more. Capture the Princess
Neena and at least one of the Kaireens at the workshop. Slay the tall man
Blade and every other living thing in sight. Then burn all that can burn, and
depart with the prisoners. You all have firemakers?" The warriors nodded and
patted the pouches at their belts.
"Good." Two more warriors stepped forward out of the shadows. Between them
they led Queen
Sanaya, naked, shivering, and with her hands tied behind her back. She cringed
as she became aware of all the warriors' eyes running up and down her body.
Desgo smiled grimly. Sanaya was not feigning her shame before the warriors.
Page 79
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
That only made her disguise all the more perfect. The bound hands and the
nudity marked her as a prisoner, but in her heart and soul Sanaya was no
longer a prisoner.
Instead, she was Desgo's ally. Or rather, she thought herself his ally. With
her guiding him, Desgo would tonight destroy Draad's secret weapons, slay
Prince Blade, and begin his vengeance against Princess
Neena. Then in a few days he would order the waiting army of Trawn forward. It
would pour into
Draad, killing every warrior who stood against it, but as few others as
possible.
Lord Desgo had no tenderness for the women and children of Draad. He had only
a coldly calculating desire to make them grateful to him and to Queen Sanaya
for sparing them. He would be ruling them with her beside him, and soon. After
such a victory as he would win, King Furzun could hardly make anyone else
viceroy over the newly conquered lands.
And after that? The visions of what might be were even more enticing. With
Queen Sanaya to advise him, he could certainly devise ways of winning and
keeping the loyalty of the people of Draad. The emerald mines would give him
wealth, wealth to reward any warrior of Draad or Trawn who would follow his
standard, wealth also to reward those nobles and merchants of Trawnom-Driba
who had already promised to be his allies.
Over the years, he would forge his warriors and allies into an army, an army
standing ready like a weapon for his hand to wield. In the end, he would wield
it against King Furzun. Furzun would die in his own prison chambers, and King
Desgo would rule Trawn and Draad and all the lands and forests of
Gleor!
With the favor of the gods, he would do it. He would have prayed for that
favor, except that this was no time for prayer and Desgo was not a praying man
in any case. Loud prayers would earn less favor from the gods than shrewd
blows with a sword.
He took Sanaya from the hands of the two guards and lifted her onto the neck
of the meytan. Then he scrambled back up into the saddle behind her. The other
warriors of the raiding party did the same. All of them carried swords, bows,
and throwing spears; five of them led stolofs. One of the stolofs chittered [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl exclamation.htw.pl
the hill. That is close enough so that they can reach the workshop quickly,
without staying around here."
Embor nodded in understanding. "The secret, again?"
"Yes," said Blade. "Of course, many now know what our weapon is, and how to
use it. But few know how it is made. I would rather things stayed that way
until we have met and destroyed the army of
Trawn. There is a risk in leaving the workshop weakly guarded, but it is one I
think we can afford better than having the secret leak out."
Embor did send a good many warriors to watch each of the passes through the
Mountains of Hoga.
That way no large force from Trawn could get through and devastate the lands
of Draad without being detected at once and brought to battle soon afterward.
The king also set up a line of warriors stretching from the workshop down to
the camp of the stolof killers. Each warrior stood within shouting distance of
the next. Word of any danger could fly along the line to the camp much faster
than a man could run. King
Embor was an excellent strategist and leader; Blade was not worried about
leaving that part of the campaign in his hands for now.
He still worried at times over what might have happened to Queen Sanaya. Her
fur cloak had been found, and one shredded, bloodstained boot. Did that mean
she had been attacked and killed by wild animals? It might, or it might not.
There was nothing to prove that Sanaya hadn't vanished into thin air or sunk
without a trace into the earth.
"I can hope so," said Neena. "I cannot wish even on Sanaya the death she would
receive from those of
Trawn."
"No," said Blade. "You are not eaten up with vengeance, as she would be in
your place." He kissed her and blew out the candle. After a moment he felt her
flowing against him in the darkness, warm in the chill of the forest night.
After another moment, he found himself responding as he always did.
It was the fourteenth night after the test in the arena and Queen Sanaya's
flight into the forest.
Lord Desgo reined in his meytan and raised his hand in signal for those behind
him to do the same.
Silence fell over the forest as a score of six-legged beasts ceased their
steady trot. Absentmindedly, Lord
Desgo scratched his mount between its long golden-furred ears, then swung
himself down out of the saddle. The warriors behind him did the same, then
gathered around him.
"I think I need say what we are to do only once more. Capture the Princess
Neena and at least one of the Kaireens at the workshop. Slay the tall man
Blade and every other living thing in sight. Then burn all that can burn, and
depart with the prisoners. You all have firemakers?" The warriors nodded and
patted the pouches at their belts.
"Good." Two more warriors stepped forward out of the shadows. Between them
they led Queen
Sanaya, naked, shivering, and with her hands tied behind her back. She cringed
as she became aware of all the warriors' eyes running up and down her body.
Desgo smiled grimly. Sanaya was not feigning her shame before the warriors.
Page 79
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
That only made her disguise all the more perfect. The bound hands and the
nudity marked her as a prisoner, but in her heart and soul Sanaya was no
longer a prisoner.
Instead, she was Desgo's ally. Or rather, she thought herself his ally. With
her guiding him, Desgo would tonight destroy Draad's secret weapons, slay
Prince Blade, and begin his vengeance against Princess
Neena. Then in a few days he would order the waiting army of Trawn forward. It
would pour into
Draad, killing every warrior who stood against it, but as few others as
possible.
Lord Desgo had no tenderness for the women and children of Draad. He had only
a coldly calculating desire to make them grateful to him and to Queen Sanaya
for sparing them. He would be ruling them with her beside him, and soon. After
such a victory as he would win, King Furzun could hardly make anyone else
viceroy over the newly conquered lands.
And after that? The visions of what might be were even more enticing. With
Queen Sanaya to advise him, he could certainly devise ways of winning and
keeping the loyalty of the people of Draad. The emerald mines would give him
wealth, wealth to reward any warrior of Draad or Trawn who would follow his
standard, wealth also to reward those nobles and merchants of Trawnom-Driba
who had already promised to be his allies.
Over the years, he would forge his warriors and allies into an army, an army
standing ready like a weapon for his hand to wield. In the end, he would wield
it against King Furzun. Furzun would die in his own prison chambers, and King
Desgo would rule Trawn and Draad and all the lands and forests of
Gleor!
With the favor of the gods, he would do it. He would have prayed for that
favor, except that this was no time for prayer and Desgo was not a praying man
in any case. Loud prayers would earn less favor from the gods than shrewd
blows with a sword.
He took Sanaya from the hands of the two guards and lifted her onto the neck
of the meytan. Then he scrambled back up into the saddle behind her. The other
warriors of the raiding party did the same. All of them carried swords, bows,
and throwing spears; five of them led stolofs. One of the stolofs chittered [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]