"Mercedes Lackey & Larry Dixon - Valdemar - Darians Tale 03 - Owlknight" - читать интересную книгу автора (Lackey Mercedes)

?I?m just quoting what my excellent teachers would say in the same circumstances,?
Darian retorted. ?Weren?t you just agreeing with Lord Breon that we?re to make
certain Herald Anda understands he is one among equals here??

?Huh. The boy finally pays attention,? Ayshen muttered, but when Darian turned
to fix him with a sharp glance, he looked as innocent as could be.

?On the whole,? Ayshen continued blandly, ?I am relieved. This is going to be
much easier to plan and execute than a wedding, for instance. Should I pull some
of the ekele-building crew to go to work on the Herald?s permanent quarters, do
you think??

Starfall exchanged a glance with Darian, who shook his head slightly. ?Not yet,?
Starfall told him. ?Although Breon said he?s expecting to stay here - I presume
as a kind of envoy - he may decide that he prefers to lodge in the village, in
more familiar surroundings. For all we know, he may decide to establish himself
outside all of our enclaves. I can let him know at some point that we have the
hands, and the rest will contribute materials, when he wants to have a permanent
residence built, and that he can have it constructed where he pleases.?

Darian nodded. ?Instead, I suggest you pull a couple of builder crews off to add
proper accommodations for the Companion; they?ll want to be close to each other,
and this will show that we understand that the Companion is as important as the
Herald, and that they work together. It certainly wouldn?t hurt to have
Companion quarters attached to the guest lodge for future visiting Heralds.?

Ayshen nodded his blunt snout decisively. ?Right, then. Won?t be difficult;
knock a two-level door into one of the end rooms, add the stabling, bring water
in for a fountain - I can have that finished in a few days.? He scratched his
nose. ?Sawdust floor, I think. Maybe some mats. Outside door with a rope latch,
so the Companion can let himself in and out.?

?That sounds perfect to me,? Darian replied, very much impressed with Ayshen?s
forethought.

?So . . . just the welcome to plan for now, and the extra building.? Ayshen
wrote out a note in silverstick, folded it into a pyramid, and stuck it on the
model of the guest lodge as a reminder. ?That?s manageable. Well, are you two
going to sit there all day, eating everything in the kitchen? Shoo! I have work
to do!?

Laughing, Darian and Starfall left the hertasi to his own devices, as he began
rummaging about for more paper, muttering about menus.

Keisha stood at the open door of Darian?s vine-covered house, hefting first one
wicker pannier basket, then the other, to judge roughly which was heavier. Above
her head, the trees met to form a ceiling over the house and path; songbirds and
colorful messenger-birds chattered and sang, and hummingbirds chased each other
around the branches. She had not gone to the meeting; as the chief Healer to