"Raymond E. Feist - Serpentwar 2 - Rise of a Merchant Prince" - читать интересную книгу автора (Feist Raymond E)

grin, as if he were nothing more than a common sergeant and that
remark a joke, but both Erik and Roo had been told he carried
high court rank in addition to his military rank. "So I never asked
too many personal questions. He's very much what you might call
a 'right now' sort of fellow." De Loungville's voice lowered, as if
Calis might somehow overhear from down on the dock, and his
expression turned serious. "He does have those pointy cars. Still,
I never heard of any such being-half-man, half-elf-yet he can


RISE OF A MERCHANT PRINCE


do things no other man I know can do." He grinned again as he
said, BBut he's saved all our hides more times than I can count,
so who's to care what his line is? Your station at birth means nothing.
A man can't change that. What's important is how you live."


lie slapped both young men on the shoulder. "You were worthless


dogmeat when I found you, fit only for starving crows, but look at
l~l
you now.
Erik and Roo exchanged looks. then laughed. Both were wearing
the same clothing they had worn when escaping the destruction
of the city of Maharta, oft patched, stained beyond cleaning, reducing
both men to the appearance of common street thugs.
Roo said, "We're two men in need of some fresh clothing. Save
Erik's boots, we look the part of ragpickers."
Erik glanced down and said, "And these need mending." The
boots were all he had left from the Baron of Darkmoor's legacy, a
grudging admission to Erik of his paternity, along with not denying
Erik the right to call himself "von Darkmoor." The boots were


riding boots, but Erik had walked enough to wear the heels down
to nearly nothing, and the leather was weather-beaten and cracked.
Sho Pi, an Isalani from the Empire of Great Kesh, came up on
deck from below. carrying his own travel bag. Behind him came
Nakor, also an Isalani, and the man Sho Pi had decided was destined
to be his "master." He appeared old, but moved with a spry
step and quickness that both Erik and Roo knew well. He had
instructed them in hand-to-hand combat, and Roo and Erik knew
that the odd little man, as well as Sho Pi, was as dangerous unarmed
as most men were with weapons. Roo was convinced he
had never seen Nakor move as fast as possible, and wasn't sure
he would welcome such a demonstration. Roo was a gifted student
of the open-handed school of fighting practiced in the Isalani provinces'