"04.Prince of the Blood" - читать интересную книгу автора (Feist Raymond E)

wife, who took it as she stood. Escorting the Princess
from the dais, he whispered to Borric, "You and your
brother: in my chambers in five minutes." All four royal
children bowed formally as their father and mother
passed, then fell into procession behind them.

Borric glanced at Eriand and found his own curiosity
mirrored in the face of his twin. The twins waited until
they -were out of the hall and Eriand turned and
grabbed Elena, spinning her roughly around in a bear
hug. Borric gave her a solid whack on the backside,
despite the softening effect of the folds of fabric of her
gown. "Beasts!" she exclaimed. Then she hugged each
in turn. "I hate to say this, but I am glad to see you back.
Things have been dreadfully dull since you left."

Borric grinned. "Not as I hear it, little sister."

Eriand put his arm around his brother's neck and
whispered in mock conspiracy, "It has come to my at-
tention that two of the Prince's squires were caught
brawling a month ago, and the reason seems to be
which would escort our sister to the Festival of
Banapis."

Elena fixed both brothers with a narrow gaze. "I had
nothing to do with those idiots brawling." Then she
brightened. "Besides, I spent the day with Baron
Lowery's son, Thorn."

Both brothers laughed. "Which is also what we
heard," said Borric. "Your reputation is reaching even
to the Border Barons, little sister! And you not yet six-
teen!"

Elena hiked up her skirts and swept past her broth-
ers. "Well, I'm almost the age Mother was when she first
met Father, and speaking of Father, if you don't get to
his study, he'll roast your livers for breakfast." She
reached a point a dozen paces away, swirled in a flurry
of silks, and again stuck her tongue out at her brothers.

Homecoming 15

Both laughed, then Eriand noticed Nicky standing
close by. "Well, then, what have we here?"

Borric made a show of glancing around, above
Nicky's head. "What do you mean? I see nothing."