"05.The King's Buccaneer" - читать интересную книгу автора (Feist Raymond E)

Arutha said, "We'll have to think up a suitable punishment for you two. Something to impress the value of both the boat and your own necks on you."

Harry threw Nicholas a quick grin from behind the wine cup; both boys knew that they stood half a chance of Arutha's forgetting any serious punishment if the press of court business was heavy, as it often was.

The Prince's court was the second busiest in the Kingdom, and only by a little after the King's. Effectively a separate realm, the West was governed from Krondor, with only broad policy coming from King Lyam's court. In the course of one day, Arutha might have to see two dozen important nobles, merchants, and envoys, and read a half-dozen important documents, as well as approve every regional decision involving the Principality.

A boy in the purple and yellow livery of a palace page entered the room and came to the elbow of the Royal Master of Ceremony, Baron Jerome. He whispered to the baron, who in turn came to Arutha. "Sire, two men are at the main entrance of the palace, asking to see you."

Arutha knew that they would have to be something unusual for the guard sergeant to pass them along to the Royal Steward, and for the steward to disturb the Prince. "Who are they?" asked Arutha.

"They claim to be friends of Prince Borric's." Arutha's eyebrows went up slightly. "Friends of Borric's?" He glanced at his wife, then asked, "Do they have names?"

The Master of Ceremony said, "They gave the names Ghuda BulЈ and Nakor the Isalani." Jerome, an officious man to whom dignity and pomp were more essential than air and water, managed to convey a volume of disapproval as he added, "They're Keshian, Sire."

Arutha was still trying to piece together some semblance of understanding when Nicholas said, "Father! Those are two who helped Borric when he was captured by slavers in Kesh! You remember him telling us about them."

Arutha blinked and recollection came to him. "Of course." He told Jerome, "Show them in at once."

THE KING'S BUCCANEEK

19

Jerome motioned for the page to carry word to the entrance of the palace, and Harry turned to Nicholas. "Slave traders?"

Nicholas said, "It's a long story, but my brother was an envoy to Kesh, about nine years ago. He was captured by raiders who didn't know he was from the royal house of the Isles. He escaped and made his way to the Empress's court and saved her life. These are two men who helped him along the way."

Everyone was staring at the door expectantly when the page entered, followed by a pair of ragged and dirty men. The taller was a fighter by his dress: old, battered leather armor and a dented helm, a bastard-sword slung over his back, and two long dirks, one at each hip. His companion was a bandy-legged fellow; with a surprisingly childlike expression of delight at the new sights around him, and an appealing grin, although he could be described as nothing so much as homely.

They came to the head of the table and both bowed, the warrior stiffly and self-consciously, the shorter man in a haphazard, absentminded fashion.

Arutha stood and said, "Welcome."

Nakor kept looking at every detail of the room, lost in thought, so after a long moment Ghuda said, "Sorry to disturb you, Your Highness, but he"—he jerked a thumb at Nakor— "insisted." His speech was accented, and he spoke slowly.

Arutha said, "That's all right."

Nakor at last turned his attention to Arutha and studied him a moment before he said, "Your son Borric doesn't look like you."

Arutha's eyes widened in amazement at the direct statement and lack of an honorific, but he nodded. Then the Isalani regarded the Princess and he again grinned, a wide slash of crooked teeth that made him look even more comical than before. He said, "You are his mother, though. He looks like you. You are very pretty, Princess."

Anita laughed, and glanced at her husband, then said, "Thank you, sir."

With a wave of his hand, he said, "Call me Nakor. I was once Nakor die Blue Rider, but my horse died." He glanced around the room, fixing his gaze on Nicholas. His face lost its grin as he studied the boy. He stared at Nicholas to the point of awkwardness, then grinned again. "This one looks like you!"

Arutha was at a loss for words, but at last managed to say,

20 Raymond E. Feist

"May I ask what brings you here? You are welcome, for you did a great service to my son and the Kingdom, but ... it's been