Ironcrown Moon: Part Two of the Boreal Moon Tale. Julian May

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СКАЧАТЬ Dyfrig screamed. ‘Run!’

      Before her shocked mind could react, Lukort rapped out a command to the younger man, who darted to the boy, wrenched him away from Rusgann, and clapped a big hand over his mouth.

      The maid sprang to her feet shrieking, ‘You stinking whoreson, let him loose!’ The youth fetched her a casual blow in the stomach with his fist and she fell moaning to the stony sand.

      His mouth temporarily freed, Dyfrig again cried, ‘Run away, Mama!’

      ‘Don’t move!’ roared Lukort. A split second later his tone was wheedling and conciliatory. ‘Be easy now, princess. My son Vorgo and I won’t hurt the wee smolt and we won’t hurt you…So he’s your boy, is he? Well well! Yon wench said he was hers! A liar as well as a foulmouthed hellcat, ain’t she?’

      Vorgo smirked, keeping a firm hold on Dyfrig as he wriggled. Rusgann struggled to her feet and stood a few feet away from the pair. Her face was unreadable.

      ‘I know you, Lukort Waterfall,’ Maudrayne said in a stern voice. ‘How dare you mistreat my child and my servant?’

      ‘The twitch needs to be taught good manners. Got a nasty mouth on her. As to the lad, no one’s mistreatin’ him. We just don’t want him runnin’ off afore you and me have a chance to talk business.’

      ‘Business?’ Her mind was a turmoil of conflicting emotions. ‘What kind of business?’

      ‘The world thinks you be dead, princess. Your brother Liscanor was in a black rage when the news come to Northkeep. He tried to talk the other sealords into makin’ war on Conrig Ironcrown to avenge the insult to you and your family. Nothin’ come o’ that. Tarn had too many other troubles, and now we’re part of the Sovereignty whether we like it or not.’ He shrugged. ‘But here you be, alive – thanks to the God of Heights and Depths! – and with a fine young son to boot. Imagine that! How old would the little fella be? About four, eh?’

      She said nothing, feeling the hairs at the back of her neck creep with apprehension. The crafty devil had guessed who Dyfrig’s father must be.

      Lukort murmured something to Vorgo, who hoisted the child to his shoulder and strode to where the coracle lay. He cut off a piece of line to bind Dyfrig’s wrists, put him into the skin boat, and cast off, heading for the lugger anchored behind the small island.

      The skipper beckoned to Maudrayne. ‘Come closer. No need to keep shoutin’ one at t’other. Don’t worry about your lad. I told my son to take special good care o’ him.’

      She came slowly toward Lukort, stopping well out of easy reach. It would not do to underestimate the cleverness of this villain. She spoke to the maid. ‘Are you badly hurt, Rusgann?’

      ‘Nay, my lady. The young lout only punched the breath out of me. The lad and I came on the two men here when we rounded the point. Dyfi was all happy and excited, but I warned him he must say nothing at all until we knew they intended no evil. This Lukort was polite enough at first, asked if I knew the Lady Maudrayne Northkeep who lived nearby with the sea-hag. Said he was one of Lord Liscanor’s subjects, come to see if you were being kept here against your will.’

      Maudrayne turned her gaze to the fisherman. ‘Two tennights ago, you saw me at Dobnelu’s steading through your spyglass.’

      He nodded, all joviality. ‘And wasn’t it a great shock, seeing a queenly redheaded beauty carrying a milkpail from the old hag’s byre! Us seamen give Dobnelu’s fjord a wide berth accounta her curses. But nothin’s to stop us peepin’ at the place as we sail on by. I studied through the glass and nigh jumped out o’ my skin when I realized ‘twas you: Ironcrown’s wife that was supposed to be drownded in Cathra, alive and well and back home in Tarn. I pondered it for days, wonderin’ what to do.’

      ‘Wondering how he could turn his discovery to profit!’ Rusgann growled.

      ‘And did you tell others of what you’d seen?’ Maudrayne inquired.

      ‘Only a few good mates who know to keep their gobs shut. Needed advice, didn’t I, to figger the best way to outwit the sea-hag.’

      Maudrayne said, ‘I’m surprised you dared risk her wrath, setting foot on this forbidden shore.’

      A look of low cunning spread over the skipper’s face as he took from his shirt a small pouch hanging on a string around his neck. ‘Got me special charms for that. Vorgo, too. Cost every silver mark I owned to get ‘em from Blind Bozuk the shaman. This here lets us cross the hag’s magic circle of stones without her knowin’. Bozuk said it’d only work on Solstice Eve, when the fires of sorcery burn wan in the midnight sun. We waited till the time was ripe, then sailed back here in my lugger Scoter, keepin’ far out from shore. We came into Useless Bay with the centerboard up, mostly using sweeps to drive the boat. Mortal hard work it was rowin’, but we stayed clear of the shoals and made it to this cove, outta sight of Dobnelu’s steading. We was all set to go afoot along the fjord and creep up to the farmhouse, when the wench and the lad come along.’

      Rusgann said, ‘I was fool enough to say you were following us along the shore, my lady, when I thought the men might be friendly. This one started whispering to that blockhead son of his. The lackwit blurted out something about hiding behind a rock and grabbing you when you appeared. I tried to run with Dyfrig then, but they caught us and knocked me down.’

      ‘And now you intend to kidnap us, Lukort Waterfall?’ Maudrayne said contemptuously.

      ‘Rescue you, princess!’ The fisherman’s voice was laden with false reproach. ‘First I figgered to take you back to your brother, hopin’ he’d give me a nice reward.’ The yellowish eyes shifted. ‘But now I reckon if I took you and the boy down south, some others – say, your uncle the High Sealord Sernin – might be even more grateful for your return.’

      ‘I see.’

      Others! Sly Lukort knew full well that Conrig Ironcrown was the one who would pay a fortune for her and the child…alive or dead. And if it were not to be the latter, she’d have to think fast.

      ‘Here comes Vorgo back with the coracle, so let’s be off, princess. Your boy’s waitin’ for you aboard Scoter. She’s a fine craft, a legacy from my late brother, may the fishes eat his eyeballs. You’ll ride easy in her.’

      ‘How many in your crew?’ Maudrayne asked casually.

      He chuckled. ‘For this sailin’, just me and Vorgo. Scoter needs five men when we’re haulin’ in fish, but you’re a catch easier to handle, eh?’

      Only the two of them. So the plan that had sprung into her mind might work. ‘You’ll take my maidservant also, of course. She is very dear to me and to my son.’

      Lukort’s face hardened and he shot a rancorous glance over his shoulder at Rusgann. ‘Not bloody likely. The big wench stays.’

      ‘I beseech you not to leave her here with the terrible sea-hag. Look – I’ll give you a fine reward if you but reconsider.’

      She pulled the splendid necklace of opal and gold out from her dress and made as if to unfasten the catch at the back of her neck.

      ‘Swive me!’ the fisherman gasped, undisguised greed widening his eyes. ‘That’s a beaut! СКАЧАТЬ