"Mercedes Lackey - Owl Mage 3 - Owlknight" - читать интересную книгу автора (Lackey Mercedes)

required the tact of a diplomat, the organizational ability of the Kingdom Seneschal, and the tactical ability
of a general. Although those qualities were not all combined in a single person, among them all, the
Council members managed, though there had been a few-emergency sessions in the past.
The meeting planned for today, however, was the routinely scheduled monthly meeting. Lord
Breon and his son would be there for Kelmskeep, as would the Chief and Shaman of Ghost Cat for the
Northerners, representatives from Errold’s Grove, and from all the races resident at k’Valdemar Vale.
Darian didn’t figure he’d hear anything more exciting than progress reports - perhaps some complaints or
requests from farmers.
The vague murmur of conversation mingled with the rustle of leaves reached him before he
actually saw the Council House. He stepped past the vine-covered, wicker-work screen shielding the
entrance, and joined the others in a “room” that seemed very much an extension of the lush forest
outside.
Of the representatives for k’Valdemar, only he and the snow-haired, aged Starfall were present
at this moment; Nightwind and Snowfire and the others were presumably on their way. Lord Breon and
Val had arrived last night, staying overnight in the guest lodge, and now were in their chairs chatting
comfortably with Chief Vordon and Shaman Celin of Ghost Cat. Hertasi moved about the table, putting
beverages and light snacks within reach of the Council members on the topmost tier of the table. No one
shuffled papers on the lowest table tier today, which was a good omen for a short meeting. The table
itself was in the shape of an open rose seen from above, with the layers in trimmed wood forming the
petals. The original concept had been for a square table, yet someone had observed that only allowed for
comfort for four parties. The way things had been going who knows how many more powers might come
to stay in this area!
The Lutters were no longer the ones making the decisions for Errold’s Grove - oh, they thought
they were, but the real work was done by the Village Council, and two representatives from that body
were the new glass-maker, Harrod Dobbs, and Barda of the Fellowship. Harrod was always glad of an
excuse to come to the Vale for a chance to use the bigger glass furnaces here and trade tips and lessons
from the Vale glass-makers. There was very little overlap in what he produced and what the Vale
artisans did; Harrod only rarely made anything that wasn’t utilitarian, as the demand for glass bottles and
jars and common drinking vessels would always exceed his output. Still, he liked to turn out a nice set of
goblets now and again, and most of what the Tayledras produced was lampwork and blown glass, so he
was able to teach them molding techniques. The latest result of that was a series of small, flat medallions
to hang in a window that they called “sun-catchers,” formed of colored glass, with a decorative
impression molded into each. They were an adaptation of an Eastern style, very popular within the Vale;
whether they would become popular outside it had yet to be determined.
The nonhuman members of the group, Kelvren, Ayshen, Tyrsell and Hashi, had not yet appeared
either - but just as Darian took his own seat and exchanged greetings with the rest, the hertasi entered,
followed by the king stag and the kyree.
And right after them, Snowfire and Nightwind appeared. “Sorry we’re running a bit late,”
Nightwind apologized, pulling her ebon hair away from her finely honed face. “Kel will be here in a
minute, too - we had to pry the baby away from him and get her put down for her nap.”
As if that had been a cue, the wicker walls shook with the thunder of enormous wings outside,
and leaves blew, and Kelvren the gryphon joined the group, shouldering past the screen. He shook his
dark brown feathers to settle them after his flight (and the baby Moonshadow’s sticky hands) and looked
around.
Ayshen, the leader of the lizard-folk called hertasi, sat beside Nightwind on her left. The
Kaled’a’in smiled a welcome and swept her trailing sleeves out of the way for him, and he put the tray of
her favorite berry tartlets he had brought on the top tier of her table section. To her right sat Snowfire,
and the section of Tayledras concluded with the silver-haired mage Starfall, the eldest of the group. Then
came Darian, then Lord Breon’s sturdy son, Val, then the Lord himself. Between Lord Breon and the
two Ghost Clan representatives sat Barda and Harrod. The dyheli stag Tyrsell stood beside Kelvren the