"Chalker, Jack L - DG4 - Songs of the Dancing Gods" - читать интересную книгу автора (Chalker Jack L)

' "Then you shall pledge yourself to me through these wastes!'' he shouted. "You shall bind to me, the killer of your mistress, until I leave your domain!"

"We bind. . . we bind. . ."

"Very well, then. Stand watch, while I sleep, and let no harm come to me or my horse while we rest, or you shall die the true death of dissipation!''

"We obey. . . obey. . . "

He moved as far away from the stinking body as he could and prepared his bedroll. He settled down, but still could not quite rest.

"Elemental! A gentle breeze away from me, so I do not smell the odor of that carrion!''

Instantly a very light but steady breeze came from behind him and the air cleared. He was impressed. Air elementals were more useful than he would have thought. But he was still too keyed up, perhaps too overtired to sleep. He needed to relax himself after the events of the evening.

"Well, blowhard, you say you like the saga."

"We do . . . we do . . ."

"Well, then, follow along, sing the great ballad with me."

There was no response.

"Just sit right back . . ." he started, then stopped. "You're not singing along!"

"We know not the words . . . the words..."

"Well, listen, then! And we'll serenade each other on the 'morrow!"

"We obey. . . obey..." the elemental responded, sounding resigned.

Now, at last, he leaned back, relaxed and closed his eyes, and a smile grew upon his face. Yet, in spite of the hopes of the elemental, he did not quickly fade to sleep, but, instead, started again to sing the ballad that was prologue to the object of his sacred quest.

He drifted off to sleep, and the elemental, too, seemed to relax, perhaps more because the saga would not have to be endured further that night.

He slept soundly, the sleep of the dead, but, occasionally, through the night, he would stir, that smile would return to his sleeping face, and he would breathe a line of the refrain: " 'Twas Gilligan, the Skipper, too. . ."

CHAPTER 2

ON DANCING YOUR HEART OUT



Unless contravened by magic or other Rules, an individual's role in life shall be determined by destiny and circumstance. However, once fixed in that role, only those things necessary to perfect one's role may be learned, acquired or retained. In this way is social and cultural harmony and stability maintained.

-- The Books of Rules, II, 228(c)



THEY MADE A MOST UNLIKELY LOOKING GROUP AS THEY SLOWLY made their way down the road away from the mountains, toward green fields and rolling hills.