"Dave Duncan - A Handful Of Men 1 - The Cutting Edge" - читать интересную книгу автора (Duncan Dave)

And thereby became a hero.



2

Even as a terrified young man clung grimly to a pole amid the raging clamor of the Battle of Karthin, a woman lay quietly dying a hundred leagues
or so to the north, beyond the Progiste Mountains.


She knew that she was dying, but she didn't mind any more. It was time. She had been rather surprised to see the dawn and would be even more
surprised to see another. Meanwhile she was in very little pain. Slow-moving shafts of sunlight in her cottage kept her company. The busy sounds of
the forest outside were like familiar friends coming to visit, pausing to chat among themselves before they bowed under the lintel-breezes moving
through the branches, the chattering of the stream over the rocks, buzzing insects, the impudent call of parrots.


Her name was Phain of the Keez Place. She was very old. She could not recall how old, and it didn't matter. She had even outlived her cottage, for


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 The Cutting Edge

the roof had a serious sag to it, and the walls had more windows now than they'd had when Keez had built them, many, many years ago.


Keez was long gone, so long that she could hardly recall what he had looked like with his silver hair and his stooped back. She could remember him
in his youth, though, strong and graceful as a young horse, bringing her here to show her the place he had found, with its stream and its giant
cottonwoods soaring to the sky. She could recall the eager, anxious look on his big, smooth face as he waited for her decision; the relief and joy
when she said yes, this place would do well. Very clearly she could remember how right it had felt, and how she had decided to be kind and not
make him suffer more, for his longing was so great-and hers no less. Now! she had said, sitting down and pulling him down beside her. Yes, now!


She remembered how his strength had delighted her-that first time under the sky especially, and uncounted later times under the roof, too. But there
had never been another time quite like the time when they'd first lain together in the sunshine, right here, making this their Place.


It had been a good Place. Here they had loved; here she had brought forth sons and daughters-four shed borne and four shed reared, not many
women could say as much. Here Keez had died, but easily, without pain. Here she was dying. The forest could have it back now, and thank you; she
was done with it.


A shadow moved. Phain opened her eyes. The sunlight was angling steeper, so she must have slept. Yes, the walls were a network, holes held
together by wicker. Time to go.


"Do you need anything?" asked a small and tremulous voice. Phain shook her head on the pillow and tried to smile, to put the child at ease. It was a
hard time for a youngster. Death Watch was never easy.


She couldn't remember the girl's name. Terrible how the old forgot! She could remember Keez clear enough. She could recall every ax stroke and