"Christopher Rowley - Bazil 06 - Dragons of Argonath" - читать интересную книгу автора (Rowley Christopher)

had retired. She had served for five hundred years and more, that was
enough. There were other witches with skill. Irene and Melaan could take
up the slack. Lessis had sent enough men to their deaths.

"Excuse me, Lady," the girl curtsied clumsily. She was a little gawky.

"Yes, what is it?" Lessis did not welcome this intrusion.

"Message came for you. Prioress said it was important. Sorry to trouble
you."

A long, long moment of silence. Lessis heard the wind soughing in the
tall grass on the slopes above. The gentle clouds continued to float in the
high blue sky.

"Yes, that's quite all right, child. What is the message?"

"Here, Lady," the girl handed her a pouch containing a tiny scroll, the
specialty of the Imperial message corps. It must have been brought on the
wings of a seagull.

Lessis opened the scroll and read it in a moment. Ribela, the Queen of
Mice, begged her for help. There was something she must do. People she
must visit. The toads squirmed in the bag on the roadside, and Lessis
squirmed at the thought of engaging once more with the world's troubles.
She had set that aside. After five centuries she had earned a decade's rest
before a peaceful death.

But no, it was not to be. Circumstances were not in her favor. Now
Ribela herself, the very Queen of Mice, had begged her to intercede, and
Lessis could not refuse.


Chapter Two
Situated down in the Blue Stone country, Cross Treys camp was an old
legion post, so old the palisade was rotting away in places. The corner
towers were too dangerous to occupy and could fall down in the next stiff
gale. Someday soon a decision would have to be made whether to keep
Cross Treys going or abandon it.

But the main block was still functional, and the Dragon House, though
small, was known to be famously warm in the winter and cool in the
summer. The plunge pool was outdoors, of course, as in most outposts, but
it was paved and the water never got muddy.

That summer Cross Treys was host to the 109th Marneri Dragons,
along with sixty men of the Eighth Regiment, Second Legion and a party
of twelve youngsters who were completing their pre-legion training in the
youth Pioneers.