"Douglass, Sara - Axis Trilogy 1 - Battleaxe" - читать интересную книгу автора (Douglass Sara)

Yr sighed and slipped the cloak about her shoulders. "It will no doubt dry quickly enough," she said. "Thank you, Timozel."
Timozel was more relaxed now that Yr's nakedness was covered, and he sketched a courtly bow for her. "My lady," he smiled.
Faraday placed a gentle hand on Timozel's arm. "Tim, this is Jack and Yr. They are . . ." Faraday stopped, confused. What should she tell him? She looked at Jack for guidance.
Jack interrupted. "Timozel. Do you remember the Prophecy that you heard at the Silent Woman Keep?" Timozel nodded. "Well, Yr and I are two of the Sentinels mentioned within the Prophecy. We are part of the Prophecy, we are bound to it and serve it."
Timozel's eyes narrowed. The line of the Prophecy mentioning the Sentinels ran through his head, "The Sentinels will walk abroad", then he remembered its darker companion. When the Prophecy had been simply an abstract riddle Timozel had found it amusing if puzzling; now that it was taking flesh and blood form before him he did not think he liked it as much. Like all Acharites, he had been taught from a child in arms that all magic or enchantments were evil and used only by the Forbidden in order to harm Artor-fearing Acharites and undermine their faith in the Way of the Plough. His unease grew. The Prophecy also mentioned the remade dead and dark powers. Were these magical creatures now a threat to Faraday and himself? Timozel's hand crept a little closer to the hilt of his sword again.
"Timozel," Yr said, her voice soft and reasonable. Her eyes had lost their challenging look and were now reassuring. "Jack and I, as are our comrades, devote our lives to preserving this land, and to finding and supporting the StarMan, the one who will be able to stop Gorgrael the Destroyer. We mean you and Faraday no harm."
"Then why have you seized her?" Timozel demanded.
"They are taking me to Borneheld," Faraday said, "because they believe that he will be better able to hold the ice creatures at Gorkenfort if I am at his side."
"Is he the one who will save Achar?" asked Timozel.
"He will be vitally important in Achar's defence," said Jack. "He will need Faraday there to support him."
Timozel stared at Faraday, trying to think. Her hair hung down about her shoulders in disarray and her eyes were anxious as they looked into his. No doubt she couldn't wait to reach her betrothed husband. The more he thought about it, the more he believed it would be a good thing if Faraday joined Borneheld. But it would be so dangerous at Gorkenfort.
Timozel made up his mind. "Yes," he nodded, "I can understand that Borneheld would need you by his side." Faraday visibly relaxed. "But," a frown crossed Timozel's face, "I do not entirely trust your companions, either. What on earth made them cast us down here?"
"Timozel, you know Axis. He had orders to take me to Arcen and leave me there. Yet I wish for nothing else than to join Borneheld." Artor forgive her for that lie, she thought. "And see how the Destroyer attacked the Axe-Wielders. It might have been dangerous for me to stay with them. Jack and Yr thought it best that we leave now."
"Yes," Timozel nodded his head slowly, then abruptly made up his mind. Artor must have pushed him to Faraday's side like this for a reason — to protect her. Artor was giving Timozel the chance to prove what a great and honourable warrior he could be. He dropped down on one knee before her and seized both her hands between his own.
"Lady," he said earnestly, "I pledge my life to your service." Faraday gasped, and her eyes flew to the impassive Jack and Yr before returning to Timozel's face. "Know that I will stand between you and harm, that I will guard both your body and your honour before any regard of my own safety, that I will champion your cause and seek only that you walk in light for the rest of your life. Artor witness this my holy vow; only my death or your wish will break it. Lady Faraday, will you accept my service?"
Faraday did not know what to do. Warriors had been known to bind themselves as Champions to a noble lady, but, as far as she knew, it had not occurred for many years. She looked across to Jack for guidance.
Jack nodded slightly. Perhaps Timozel could protect her against some of the trauma ahead. She would need a friend.
Yr wondered if Timozel might get in the way more than he could help, but she too inclined her head. As Faraday's Champion, Timozel would prove a far more irresistible challenge for her.
Faraday took a deep breath and turned her eyes back to Timozel. She was touched by his offer and his genuine concern for her. She knew that the relationship between a lady and her Champion was never sexual; perhaps that was one of the reasons the nobles at court had discarded the ancient tradition as hopelessly idealistic and practically untenable. But Faraday also knew that a Champion was more than simply a protector. He was a friend, a confidant, a pillar to lean on, a man who would always believe her, strive to understand her, and do his utmost to support her in any decision that she made. She nodded slowly. Perhaps life at Borneheld's side would not prove so awful with Timozel there to turn to.
"I accept your offer of service, Timozel, and thank you from the depths of my heart. Let Artor witness that this bond shall hold until your death or my wish does break it. May Artor also guide both our steps in the O future, and may He keep and hold us in the palm of His hand."
Timozel smiled and kissed her hands softly, then he let them go and stood up. Now this strange pair would know that Faraday had a protector, he thought. If they tried to harm her then he would cut them down where they stood.
Timozel squared his shoulders. He felt taller, as if his new role as Faraday's Champion had given him added stature along with the new meaning and direction of his life. He dismissed the thought of what his BattleAxe might say. It was more than time he started to shoulder some responsibility.
"Now," he said in as authoritative a tone as he could manage. "Perhaps you could explain where we are, Jack."
Evening by the Barrows By nightfall Axis had resumed control and moved his men further into the Barrows. The Axe-Wielders had gathered their horses together quickly and reformed into their units. The two physicians who travelled with them tended the wounded while the dead were gathered and placed in graves hastily dug in an open area between two Barrows. "The Barrows can hold our dead as well as those of the Forbidden," Axis remarked bitterly when Veremund dared to raise an eyebrow in his direction. Later, the two Brothers, pressed by Axis' cold stare, mumbled the words of the Service for the Dead and managed, with a number of embarrassing stumbles, to commend the dead to Artor's care. The injured lay on stretchers, ready to be taken back to Tare by a small escort the next morning.
Later, soldiers sat about their campfires, either forcing down warm food, or cleaning gear muddied during the confusion of the storm. Axis spent much of the evening walking among his men, smiling and reassuring, asking and answering questions, putting a comforting hand to a shoulder when it was needed, laughing and joking when that was needed more. Despite the apparent attention Axis gave to the individual men of his command, his mind worried over the events of the day, trying to make some sense out of what had happened. He was grateful that no-one had seen the raging head in the clouds; he did not think he could explain that to his men. What was it that had bubbled out of his subconscious to drive back the frightful apparition that seemed so intent on destroying him?
The more Axis thought about the implications of what had happened, the more unsure he became.
O Having lived so long with the uncertainty and shame of his parentage, Axis was not a man who enjoyed encountering uncertainty in other areas of his life.
Finally, Axis wound his way to Ogden and Veremund's campfire. The two old men were huddled inside their cloaks, as close to the fire as they dared to sit with their precious books in their lap. Both were so absorbed in their reading they did not hear Axis approach.
"And have you found the answers yet, old men? Can you tell me how to drive back another of those demon-spawned storms? Can you tell me how to protect my men from spears of ice that rain from the clouds?"
Ogden and Veremund looked up, startled. Axis stood the other side of the low fire, his stance aggressive. Both of his hands hovered close to the sword and axe in his weapon belt.
"Axis," said Veremund gently. "Sit down with us awhile. We should talk."
Axis stood a moment longer, then sat down cross-legged in one fluid motion. He has the Icarii grace, thought Ogden, and the temper to match.
"Yes," Axis said harshly, "we should talk. And will you tell me the truth, old men?"
"How much truth do you want to hear, BattleAxe?" Ogden snapped, before Veremund laid a hand on his arm and replied smoothly, "We have never told you anything but the truth, Axis."
Perhaps, thought Axis, but mostly couched in as many riddles as your beloved Prophecy. He took a calming breath. "What was that in the clouds this morning? Was it the Destroyer your Prophecy speaks of?"
"It was his image," Ogden replied. "Not the Destroyer himself. He is not strong enough yet to make such a journey in the flesh."
"Why journey in the flesh when you can kill and maim as effectively with your cursed sorcery?" Axis said angrily.
"Axis, be calm. Learn from it, but do not waste your energies blaming yourself."
For a moment Axis battled with his temper; that Veremund had only spoken sense did not endear him to Axis. "Then tell me what to learn from it, man, tell me what to learn from it." Axis paused, his jaw clenched tightly. "Why did he attack us?"
"Because we are a danger to him," Veremund replied.
"Do you mean the Axe-Wielders are a danger to him?" Axis asked carefully.
"And you, BattleAxe," Veremund replied just as carefully. He did not want to give Axis too much information while he was in this state of angry self-denial. "You lead them, and you lead them toward Gorkenfort. Perhaps Gorgrael thought it worthwhile to risk an attack while you were still far from the icy north."
Axis accepted the answer. He would think about any further implications of Veremund's words later, when his heart did not burn with such fierce sorrow that he thought he could not bear it.
Both Ogden and Veremund knew what was going through his mind. They had also seen what had happened to Faraday, yet they, unlike Axis, knew that she was probably still alive. Neither were unkind creatures, but they knew it would be disastrous for Tencendor if Axis were diverted from the path of the Prophecy.
"And what happens when this Gorgrael, or his image, returns, old men? What then?" said Axis.
Ogden glanced at Veremund. They had discussed this earlier, and concurred in thinking that Gorgrael had risked this attack only because so many of the Sentinels, as well as Axis and Faraday, had been in one spot. Now that they were split, Gorgrael might well hang back. They suspected - hoped - that Gorgrael had seriously weakened himself in trying to attack this far south. Ogden turned back to Axis. "We hope he will not adventure so far south again. Axis, think a moment. The storm was vicious and deadly, but it lasted a few scant minutes once it reached the Axe-Wielders. If you were Gorgrael, would you have stopped with only a few hundred men?" Axis winced, but conceded the point. "Gorgrael could not press the attack home. Perhaps he has over-reached himself with this effort. Hopefully we will be safe for the moment, and, who knows, perhaps we have even bought Gorkenfort time."
"Brothers, why has he appeared in my dreams?" Axis asked quietly, looking into the low flames of the fire.
"Gorgrael is a creature who thrives on hate, hate is his very existence, it drives his heart," said Veremund.
"Yes," Axis looked up from the flames. "I have felt that."
"And he hates most of all those who will stand before him, stand to deny him what he craves — the complete destruction of all lands below the line of year-long ice and snow."