"Huff, Tanya - Wizard 1 - Child Of The Grove 1.1 Txt" - читать интересную книгу автора (Huff Tanya)

42 Tanya Huff
of the valley even if he dumps every able body in his kingdom on us. "
"Which he seems to be doing, " Belkar added dryly.
"Yes... well... " Raen directed their attention back to the map. "I think we can all see why he chose this pass. The Melac side may be difficult to maneuver through, but it opens so smoothly into Ardhan that once the valley's gained it's damned difficult for us to defend against him. "
Belkar scratched at a bandage wrapped around his knuckles and shook his head. "And unfortunately this madman cares little how many men he wastes getting to our side of the mountains. "
"Fortunately for us, " Hale corrected smoothly. "The enemy arrives to fight us exhausted from righting the mountains. It gives us a small edge against his superior numbers. "
Cei sniffed and rubbed at his nose. His already lachrymose disposition had not been improved by a reaction to the plant life of the area. "What I don't understand is how a whole army got so close before we knew where it was going. What I want to know is, why weren't Riven and Lorn watching their borders?"
"They were. Only by their vigilance did we manage to arrive in time to contain Melac where we have. It would've gone a lot worse with us if the Dukes Riven and Lorn had not been watching their borders. And it would go a lot worse for us now if they and their men were not out in the mountains making sure that this is the only breach Melac makes. "
Cei hunched his bony shoulders under the lash of the king's voice.
"What amazes me, " Hale, cool and slightly amused, defused the rising tension, "is how they ever managed to agree that the attack would come here. They can't even agree whose province this valley is in. " He stretched out long legs, still in stained riding leathers. "I suppose if we win, they'll both claim it. "
Belkar nodded. "And if we lose, neither will want it. "

CHILD OF THE GROVE 43
Many of the men chuckled and even Cei managed a smile. The young Dukes of Riven and Lorn were cousins, born less than two days apart. They had ascended their Seats within a year of each other and were alike right down to their taste in women and tinder-dry tempers. Tempers that had flared lately over a woman they both had a taste for.
Rael breathed a quiet prayer of thanks that neither duke was present. In reminding the company of their constant, albeit generally affectionate, bickering, Hale had averted a potentially bad situation. For all his wild-man posturings-and the barbaric affectation of his beaded mustache-Hale was a born diplomat. The prince hoped that someday he'd be half that smooth.
"I don't think we've any more to discuss. " Raen leaned forward. "We've had a long day, gentlemen, and we all need some sleep. It'll be more of the same tomorrow. "
The dukes and captains bowed and left, breaking into smaller groups outside the command tent as they headed back to their men. Finally, only Rael remained.
The king stood and put his arm around his son's shoulders as they walked to the open flap.
"I was proud of you today, son. You fought well. " Rael flushed. "I did no more than any man, sir. " Raen smiled. "Yes, well, I was proud of them all. " They ducked out of the tent together and stood breathing deeply, clearing their lungs of candle smoke and their minds momentarily of battle plans. Two of the Palace Guard stepped forward to escort the king to his tent. Raen turned and cupped his son's face between his hands.
"And what did you think of your first day's battle?" he asked quietly.
Rael looked past the numbness that had mercifully continued even after the fighting had finished. "I hated
it. "
"Good. " Raen kissed his child on the forehead-

44 Tanya Huff
yes, still his child in spite of size and age and armor- and allowed the Guard to lead him away.
In the tent he shared with his armsman, Rael stood while Ivan stripped him and sponged off the worst of the battle.
The old servant muttered to himself as he sponged, for purple and green bruises began to show against the clean skin. He wanted to scold but couldn't for fear of waking Rutgar who already slept, one arm flung up against the light. He turned down the blanket, trimmed the lamp, and would have suggested he pour wine had the prince not dismissed him. Still muttering, he gathered up the day's clothes and left.
Rael threw himself on his pallet and stared up at the canvas above his head.
"Hey. " Rutgar had risen up on one elbow. "You okay?"
Rael turned so he could see his armsman. "I thought you were asleep. "
Rutgar shrugged and grinned. "Nah, who could sleep with all that serving going on. "
Both young men turned their gaze on the outer chamber where Ivan still puttered about, then Rael! leaned back and sighed. "Rutgar, you've fought before, haven't you?"
"Yes, Commander, at the Tantac raids two summers ago. "
"How did you feel?"
Rutgar studied the prince's profile. There was a tightness to it that had not been there before. "How do you feel now?" he asked instead of answering.
"Numb. I don't feel anything. "
The armsman nodded. "That's how I felt, " he said and chewed his lip at the memories. "Numb. "
Rael sighed again. "I don't think I like it, this not feeling. "
"Don't worry, " Rutgar's voice was caught in the battles of two summers past, "it wears off. " He reached up and pinched out the lamp. "Good night, Highness. "

CHILD OF THE GROVE 45
* * *
The man should have been dead. With every beat of his heart more of his life pumped out the gaping hole in his chest, but still he advanced. His lips drew back in a rictus grin, blackened, rotted and fell away. The flesh of his face writhed with maggots, whole chunks dropping off to expose the yellow skull beneath.
Rael gagged on the stench and tried to back away, but his feet seemed rooted to the ground. He struggled to lift his leg, looked down, and saw that skeletal hands rising out of the earth held him firmly in place. Blackened nails dug into his ankles and anchored themselves by driving deep into his bones.
Still the Melacian spearman advanced, a shambling corpse hardly more than an arm's reach away.
The smell clotted into solid matter in Rael's nose and throat and he gasped for air.
He waved his sword at the monstrosity before him and found to his horror that the blade had become a strip of birch bark torn from the living surface of his mother's tree. The bark bled and called his name.
He forced enough air into his lungs to scream.
"Highness! Commander! Rael!"