"Jack Vance - Elder Isles 1 - Lyonesse (2)" - читать интересную книгу автора (Vance Jack)

Icnield Way through Pomperol and into Lyonesse. King Phristan led his army north. At the Battle of Orm
Hill the armies fought for two days and finally separated in mutual exhaustion. Both Phristan and Audry
died in combat and both armies retired. Audry II failed to press his father’s claim; effectively Phristan had
won the battle.

Twenty years pass. The Ska have made serious inroads into North Ulfland and have taken to themselves
a section known as the North Foreshore. King Gax, old, half-blind and helpless has gone into hiding. The
Ska do not even trouble to search for him. The king of South Ulfland is Oriante, who resides at Castle
Sfan Sfeg near the town Oaldes. His single son, Prince Quilcy, is feeble-minded and spends his days
playing with fanciful dolls and doll-houses. Audry II is King of Dahaut and Casmir is King of Lyonesse,
and both intend to become King of the Elder Isles and sit rightfully on the throne Evandig.



Chapter 1
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ON A DREARY WINTER’S DAY, with rain sweeping across Lyonesse Town, Queen Sollace went
into labor. She was taken to the lying-in room and attended by two midwives, four maids, Balhamel the
physician and the crone named Dyldra, who was profound in the lore of herbs, and by some considered
a witch. Dyldra was present by the wish of Queen Sollace, who found more comfort in faith than logic.

King Casmir made an appearance. Sollace’s whimpers became moans and she clawed at her thick
blonde hair with clenched fingers. Casmir watched from across the room. He wore a simple scarlet robe
with a purple sash; a gold coronet confined his ruddy blond hair. He spoke to Balhamel. “What are the
signs?”

“Sire, there are none as yet.”

“There is no way to divine the sex?”

“To my knowledge, none.”

Standing in the doorway, legs somewhat apart, hands behind his back, Casmir seemed the very
embodiment of stern and kingly majesty. And, indeed, this was an attitude which accompanied him
everywhere, so that kitchen-maids, tittering and giggling, often wondered if Casmir wore his crown to the
nuptial bed. He inspected Sollace from under frowning eyebrows. “It would seem that she feels pain.”

“Her pain is not so much, sire, as might be. Not yet, at any rate. Remember, fear magnifies that pain
which actually exists.”

To this observation Casmir made no response. He noticed, in the shadows to the side of the room,
Dyldra the crone, where she crouched over a brazier. He pointed with his finger: “Why is the witch
here?”

“Sire,” whispered the chief midwife, “she came at the behest of Queen Sollace!”