"Duncan, Dave - Paragon Lost v1" - читать интересную книгу автора (Duncan Dave)

comes to Iron-hall and harvests the next batch. He cannot delegate
that duty; it must be his hand on the sword that binds them.”

Isabelle suppressed a shiver, thinking of the deadly white scar
over Beau’s heart.

“Of course the King may also assign Blades to other persons.”
Lord Roland regarded her darkly. “You will not remember the
Thencaster Plot, but one of its more distressing results was that
some Blades were put in impossible conflicts of loyalty. Many went
insane when their wards turned traitor. Others died fighting against
their king. Ever since then, His Majesty has been reluctant to gift
Blades to others. The Royal Guard absorbs almost our entire
output nowadays; that is why we admit so few. But the King has not
completely given up assigning private Blades.”

Like Beau. She nodded.

“Consequently,” Grand Master continued, “I had no reason to be
suspicious a few days ago when a man rode into Ironhall with a
warrant from the King. He gave his name as Sir Osric Oswaldson. I
was mildly surprised that I had never

11 Paragon Lost

heard of him, nor had Master of Protocol, but he dropped hints of a
secret mission and the King wishing him to have a Blade guardian.”

“Is that usual, my lord?”

Lord Roland smiled. “No, but possible. It happened to me, about
half a century ago.”

And Beau, who was positively leering. He hated mysteries he had
not created himself.

“I was unhappy that the warrant required me to bind only one
Blade, because His Majesty knows my concerns about that and
has never ignored them before. But kings do as they please.”

“Osric,” Beau said. “Baelish name. Was he a Bael?”

“He could be. His hair was more sandy than red, but it did have a
reddish tinge and he was the right age to be one of Athelgar’s
childhood friends. He volunteered no personal information and
brought no attendants who might have gossiped in the kitchens.
The King sent most of his cronies home after the Thencaster
Affair, but he could well have chosen one for some confidential
mission. It all made sense.”