The Riftwar Legacy: The Complete 4-Book Collection. Raymond E. Feist

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СКАЧАТЬ and Northwarden. He should return in another two weeks. If James is there, Locklear will return with word.’

      Gorath said, ‘James said you might need to be convinced. He said to tell you …’ He glanced at Owyn.

      ‘There’s a Party at Mother’s,’ said Owyn.

      Arutha nodded. ‘“And a good time will be had by all.” It’s a Mockers’ password, used by James and me the first time we met.’

      ‘Do you believe us now, Highness?’ asked Owyn.

      ‘I believe that James believes this to be true,’ said Arutha. He sat back thinking. ‘I just hope he’s right.’

      ‘Orders, Highness?’ asked Gardan.

      ‘I have no choice. Either I trust James’s intelligence or I don’t. I want a detachment left behind to secure this area, but the balance of the army is to march to Northwarden.’

      Gardan studied the map. ‘Would it not be wiser to alert the King and muster the Army of the East to reinforce Gabot?’

      ‘It would if the Army of the East was mustered, already. I’ll send a message to Lyam asking him to be ready to stand behind us, should Delekhan win past Northwarden. But we can be there faster than Lyam, so let us be expedient. Order camp broken at first light tomorrow.’

      Gardan saluted and left the tent to give orders. Arutha said, ‘Tell me about the Six.’

      Owyn tried to recall everything that was said about the mysterious magicians working for Delekhan. When at last he had finished, prodded by several acute questions from the Prince, Arutha said, ‘I have a mission for you two.’

      Gorath said, ‘I would rather be on the wall at Northwarden, Highness, so that I might greet Delekhan as he deserves.’

      ‘I have no doubt,’ said Arutha. ‘But personal honour and debts of blood must be put aside. If we all fail, who will revenge us? I want you to go back to Krondor, to find Pug. If he is not there and his wife Katala is, she will be able to reach him. If she has also gone, simply use a talisman Pug gave me for the purpose. The Princess knows it and how to use it, and when Pug comes, tell him of the Six. I think magic will play an even bigger part in this coming conflict, and I am ill-prepared if we are to encounter such at Northwarden.’

      ‘Cannot the boy alone do this?’ asked Gorath.

      ‘Pug will have means to extract things from your memory you may have forgotten,’ said Arutha. ‘But I doubt he can do such without your help.’

      Gorath was silent for a long while, then said, ‘Once this is done, I wish to return and fight.’

      Arutha nodded. ‘I understand.’ Then he paused. ‘No, I don’t understand. That was presumptuous. I know nothing of your race and what drives you.’ He studied Gorath’s face for a moment, as if trying to read something inside the moredhel chieftain. ‘But I would like the opportunity to learn some time. I can appreciate the drive to right a wrong, personally. When you are finished with Pug, return and I will welcome your sword.’

      Gorath said, ‘You are also more than I expected, Prince Arutha. I also would appreciate the opportunity to learn more of your people.’ He glanced at Owyn. ‘Though this boy and the other have shown me a great deal already that has made me question many of my people’s attitudes toward your race.’

      Arutha said, ‘That is a beginning. Perhaps one day we can have more.’ He came around the table and extended his hand to Gorath, who took it. They shook hands and it was more than a gesture.

      ‘Your Highness is gracious,’ said Gorath.

      ‘Rest, and tomorrow go with the patrol I send to Malac’s Cross. It is faster than trying to go straight through the woods toward Sethanon and around the mountains to Darkmoor. I’ll have documents drawn and you can commandeer an escort at Malac’s Cross and at Darkmoor. They should get you to Krondor safely. Once there, Pug will know what to do.’

      Owyn and Gorath departed, and a soldier escorted them to a tent. He held aside the tent flap and said, ‘The lads who sleep here are on patrol until tomorrow, so they won’t mind your sleeping here if you don’t steal nothing.’ He smiled to show he was joking, but Gorath fixed him with a stare that caused the smile to fade. He hurried away saying, ‘There’s food at the big fire near the Prince’s tent when you’re hungry.’

      Gorath said, ‘It will be good to eat hot food again.’ He glanced over to one of the bedrolls to find Owyn already face-down and snoring.

      

      James cursed all petty barons who answered only to the King as he negotiated his way along a frozen ridge, his breath forming clouds of white before him as he exhaled. The air stung each time he inhaled, his toes were numb, and his stomach reminded him he had not eaten yet.

      James had arrived within hours of Locklear at Baron Gabot’s fortress, a towering keep of stone which dominated one of the three major passes through the eastern half of the Teeth of the World. Unlike Highcastle, which had sat in the middle of the pass itself, providing a barrier that was a controlled gate, Northwarden rose up on a small peak, around which wound the pass known as Northland’s Door. A single road wound down the side of the large hill in a lazy s-curve, widening as it descended. Designed this way, the road gave the double benefit of allowing the Baron’s forces to spread out as they charged down to intercept any foe, while forcing any attackers to concentrate a smaller force in the van should they be foolish enough to attack up the road.

      What kept the road below in Baron Gabot’s control was a series of siege engines mounted on two walls, the north and the west. The western defences were the heaviest, while the northern were designed to harry any forces attempting to come down the pass and negotiate the turn up the road to the keep. Mangonels and catapults, as well as a trio of heavy ballistae over the main gate, ensured that any army attempting to pass would take critical casualties before they rounded the pass and got beyond the engines’ range. Some soldiers would get past, it was certain, but nothing resembling an organized force. And to deal with any who did win through, the Baron kept a small garrison of horse soldiers in a barracks near the small town of Dencamp-on-the-Teeth.

      Baron Gabot had felt confident that any threat coming through Northwarden could be dealt with by his command. That had been a welcome response to James, though he hoped fervently that Owyn and Gorath had reached Arutha in the Dimwood and help was on the way. He was beginning to worry. Had they reached Arutha and convinced him of the warning, the Prince’s army should have been arriving at Northwarden now.

      Instead, there was only silence. Gabot had sent another message to the Dimwood, at James’s urging, requesting support from the Prince, and had also sent word south via fast messenger to the King, his liege lord. At least, thought James, Gabot wasn’t as stiff-necked as old Baron Brian Highcastle, who had managed to get himself killed ignoring Arutha’s advice when Murmandamus had driven south over his position. With luck, Arutha would receive Gabot’s message even if Gorath and Owyn hadn’t survived.

      James found himself hoping that wasn’t the case; he had grown fond of the youth from Timons, and he was surprised to find he also had come to like something about the moredhel. He couldn’t quite put his finger on it, but there was something definite about the dark elf, a lack of uncertainty about who or what he was; few men had it, and James admired it: even more, he admired the moredhel’s ability to put aside his own personal dislike for humans to seek their aid in opposing what he saw as a great wrong against his people.

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