Drowned Ammet. Diana Wynne Jones

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СКАЧАТЬ his calm profile outlined against the Flate beyond the window, and his eyes on a song by the Adon. She was exasperated. The ladies-in-waiting told her that Navis was still grieving for her dead mother, but Hildy found that hard to believe. To her mind, Navis was the coldest and laziest person she knew.

      “I’m here,” she said piercingly, to stir him up a bit. “And I’m not sorry.”

      Navis winced a little and kept his eyes studiously on his book. But like the lady-in-waiting, he assumed that Hildrida had already heard about her betrothal, and he was heartily relieved. “Then, if you’re not sorry, I suppose you’re glad,” he said. “Whoever told you has saved me a great deal of trouble. You may run away and boast now if you wish.”

      Hildy was taken aback at not being scolded. But it seemed to her that her father was washing his hands of her, just as he always did, and she wanted to do battle with him instead. “I never boast,” she said. “But I could. We didn’t sink her.”

      Navis was puzzled enough to take his eyes off his book and look at Hildy. “What are you talking about?”

      “What did you send for me for?” Hildrida countered.

      “Why, to tell you that you’ve just been betrothed to the Lord of the Holy Islands,” said her father. “What did you think it was for?”

      “Betrothed?” said Hildy. “Without asking me!” It was such a bombshell that, for the moment, she clean forgot she had been sailing. “Why wasn’t I told?”

      Navis found himself facing a blazing white daughter, out in the open, as it were, without a book to hide behind. “I am telling you,” he said, and hastily picked up his book again.

      “When it’s too late!” Hildrida said, before he could find his place again. “When it’s done. You might have asked me if I minded, even if I’m not important. I’m a person too.”

      “Most people are,” Navis said, rather desperately scanning his page. He wished he had not chosen to read the Adon. The Adon said things like “Truth is the fire that fetches thunder,” which sounded unpleasantly like a description of Hildrida. “And you are very important now,” he added. “You’re forming an alliance with Lithar for us.”

      “What’s Lithar like? How old is he?” Hildrida demanded.

      Navis found his place and put his finger on it. “I’ve only met him once.” It was hard to know what else to say. “He’s only a young man – twenty or so.”

      “Only—!” Words nearly failed Hildy. “I’m not going to be betrothed to an old man like that! I’m too young. And I’ve never met him!”

      Navis hastily got his book in front of his face again. “Time will cure both those objections.”

      “No, it won’t!” stormed Hildrida. “And if you go on reading, I’ll – I’ll hit you and then tear that book up!”

      Realising that strong measures were necessary, Navis laid his book down. “Now listen, Hildy. This is something that happens to all our family. Your cousin Harilla is being betrothed to the Lord of Mark, and what’s her name – Harchad’s daughter – to one of the—”

      Hildy interrupted with a screech. Her father could call her Hildy all he liked – usually only Ynen did – but the thought of being lumped in with the dreadful girl cousins was too much for her. “Just you un-betroth me!” she said. “And do it at once, or you’ll be sorry!”

      “You know I can’t,” said her father. “It’s your grandfather’s doing, not mine.”

      “Then he’ll be sorry too!” Hildy proclaimed, and swept to the door.

      Navis called after her. It was easier talking to her back. “Hildrida! Don’t make an undignified scene, there’s a good girl. It won’t do any good. I advise you to go to the library instead and read about the Holy Islands. You’ll find they’re rather interesting.”

      Hildy paused, with her hand on the doorknob. Islands were places surrounded by water, weren’t they? Perhaps she could turn this bombshell to some advantage at least. “I ought to learn to sail, oughtn’t I, if I’m going to the Holy Islands?” she said.

      “Yes, I suppose so,” Navis said. Rather relieved to find her no longer raging, he added consolingly, “But you won’t be going for some years yet.”

      “Then I’ve got time to learn,” said Hildy. “If I promise not to make a fuss, will you get me a boat of my own?”

      “Er – if you like,” said Navis.

      “I do like. But you must give the boat to Ynen too, because he never gets anything,” said Hildy. “Or I shall make a fuss to Grandfather and all over the Palace.”

      By this time Navis’s one desire was to be left in peace with his book again. “Yes, yes,” he said. “If you run away like a good girl and don’t make a scene, you and Ynen shall have the best boat money can buy. Will that do for you?”

      “Yes, thank you, Father,” Hildy said, primly and bitterly, and swept out.

      The Palace people kept out of her way. Even her cousins, when they saw Hildrida marching, white, upright and staring like a mask out of the Sea Festival, knew better than to cross her path. They all knew Hildrida had inherited her temper from Grandfather Hadd himself. Only Ynen dared go near her, and he dared not say a word. Hildy swept to her own room. There she collected all the ornaments, from the gilded clock to the gold-painted chamber pot, put them in a heap on the floor, and broke them with the poker. Ynen crouched on the window seat, wincing at the carnage. He still dared not say a word when Hildy flung aside the poker, somewhat bent, and went to sit by her dressing table, where she stared long and earnestly at the thin white face in the mirror. She had left the mirror unsmashed on purpose.

      “I am a person,” she said at last. “Aren’t I?”

      “Yes,” said Ynen. “What happened, Hildy?”

      “And not a Thing,” said Hildy. “What’s happened is I’m betrothed. And nobody told me, just like a Thing. Do you think I should sit quiet and not mind and be a Thing? The girl cousins are betrothed too.”

      “They’ll make a fuss,” Ynen predicted. “Have you been forbidden to go sailing?”

      “No,” said Hildy. “We’re getting a boat out of it. You have to get between the Islands somehow. I think I shall go to the library now.” And she got up and went. Ynen went with her. He was still mystified, but he was used to that. He knew he would have to be very patient and tactful if he was to hear more about this promised boat.

      The library was very tall and built of speckled marble, with a domed window in its high ceiling. Hildrida, looking very small, followed by the even smaller Ynen, marched across to the librarian. “Give me all the books you have on the Holy Islands,” she said.

      Rather astonished, the librarian went away obediently. He returned shortly with one big old volume and one small newish one. “Here we are. Not too much, I’m afraid. I advise you to take the little book. It’s easy, and it has pictures.”

      Hildrida gave him a scathing look and took the big book. She marched to the nearest table and opened it. СКАЧАТЬ