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

skill than snatching things from villagers. Now the boys who wanted to count
coups had to slip up close enough to a sleeping dyheli to put a handprint in
paint on its side. Tyrsell liked this game; it forced the herd to regain some of
the alertness it had been losing since life at k?Valdemar was so unchallenging.
The young bucks of the herd appreciated it as well, and had taken to ?counting
coup? back, sneaking up behind a stalking boy and giving him a sharp nudge with
a horn to his backside.

?No, not Boys? Raids,? Barda replied. ?They?ve heard your folk have been buying
their chirras with intent to breed, and they?re afraid you?re going to challenge
their market.?

?Fair is fair, Barda,? Lord Breon protested. ?They wouldn?t have any room to
protest if it was someone else from their village that was raising chirras in
competition.?

?I know that,? Barda replied irritably, ?but it?s my job to present the protest.
So I have.?

?If they are so concerned, they could sell us only geldings,? Chief Vordon
rumbled, ?And then we will take our trade goods elsewhere. Our people came here
hungry. The memory of crying bellies has not left us. We seek to breed those
animals, so we will have enough food to keep a reserve. If they do not consider
our value as peaceful neighbors they help feed, then we will seek out others
farther away who will sell to us.?

?That could get ugly.? Val whispered to Darian.

:Competition keeps the breed strong,: was Tyrsell?s only comment.

The Chief looked to Lord Breon for further support, and possibly advice, and
Breon was not loath to give it. ?I move that the protest is noted but not valid
- they?re only protesting because they think the Chief won?t know it?s
groundless and they think they can get a settlement from the Council for nothing.
In fact, I move the protest be dismissed. All in favor??

A show of hands (and talons, paws, and hooves) all around - including Barda?s -
made it unanimous without Chief Vordon having to get involved at all.

Since Lord Breon was the one on record as putting it to the vote, and countering
the protest, it was unlikely that anything more would be said by the two farmers.

Barda sighed. ?That was the stickiest bit. Market prices are down, but they can?t
blame anything but the good crop of early vegetables. The Fellowship wants to
send a parcel of wedding shawls with your boy as presents to people he thinks
might do us some good.?

?You mean bribes, don?t you?? Vordon asked slyly.

?Anybody who understands bribery can?t be that much of a barbarian,? Val