The Complete Krondor’s Sons 2-Book Collection. Raymond E. Feist

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СКАЧАТЬ fragrance of Miya’s damp skin along with the soft aromas of the oils, he closed his eyes and felt fatigue and worry begin to slip away from him.

      He sighed deeply, and Miya spoke softly. ‘Does m’lord desire anything?’

      Erland smiled for the first time since the bandits’ attack and said, ‘No, I think I could get used to this.’

      ‘Then rest, my handsome young lord with the fire hair,’ she whispered in his ear. ‘Rest and refresh yourself, for tonight She Who Is Kesh will receive you.’

      Erland settled back against the soft body of the servant and let the warmth of the pool and the kneading fingers of the women, as they probed tense and tired muscles, overtake him. Soon he felt himself drifting off into a hazy, sensuous doze, and as he relaxed, he felt himself responding to the gentle caresses of the women. Through lowered lashes he saw smiling faces looking at him with expectation, as two of the servants exchanged whispers and stifled a giggle. Yes, he thought, I could get used to this.

      One of the servants shook his foot, as she whispered, ‘M’lord!’

      Erland elbowed himself up to see what was occurring and blinked through sleepy eyes. Rousing himself fully awake, Erland said, ‘What?’

      ‘The Lord James sends word he will be here within half an hour, m’lord. He advises you to be ready for your presentation to the Empress. You must get dressed.’

      Erland looked first right, then left, and found himself hemmed in on both sides by two motionless bodies; on his right, the sleeping Miya made soft breathing sounds, while on the left, another servant – the one with the startling green eyes, he remembered, but he couldn’t recall her name – watched him through half-closed eyelids. Slapping Miya playfully on her bare buttocks, he said, ‘Time to get ready, my darlings!’

      Miya responded by coming fully awake and out of the huge bed in one fluid motion. She signalled by clapping her hands once and instantly half a dozen more slaves appeared with Erland’s wardrobe, cleaned and ready to wear. Erland jumped out of bed and motioned for them to wait and hurried into the room with the pool. Motioning the servants to stay out of his way, he walked down the three steps, dunked himself under, and rinsed off. To Miya, who had followed him, he remarked, ‘I was drenched. And I needed this.’

      The woman smiled slightly. ‘You were … very active for a time, m’lord.’

      Erland returned the slight smile. ‘Is it always so hot?’

      The girl said, ‘This is the summer season, so it is like this. Fans are used to cool those who wish them. In the winter, it is really very cold at night and many furs are needed upon the beds to keep warm.’

      Erland found that hard to imagine as he left the pool. Three women dried him quickly, and he returned to the bed chamber.

      Being helped to get dressed turned out to be more difficult than he had imagined. He kept trying to do things for himself and that interfered with the women attempting to fasten laces or buckle clasps. But he was fully dressed when Earl James was announced. Erland nodded permission for him to enter.

      James appeared and said, ‘Well, you look better. Have a nice nap?’

      Erland glanced about at the abundant female flesh on display and said, ‘Quite nice, actually.’

      James laughed. ‘Gamina was not pleased to see so many beautiful young women in our suite, so they sent some handsome young men. She became very distressed when they offered to help her bathe.’ He glanced about. ‘I would call them a wanton people, but to them this is normal. To them, we must appear … I don’t know how we must appear.’

      Motioning Erland to come with him, the Earl led the young man into a large hallway, where Locklear and Gamina were speaking. As they entered the hall, Gamina’s mind spoke to Erland: Erland, James has already marked two listening posts in our chambers. Be wary of what you say aloud.

      I would be willing that at least one of my ‘servants’ is a Keshian intelligence officer, he thought back at her.

      There was a silence as a Keshian court officer, in the same dress they had seen everywhere, the white kilt and sandals, came for them. But he also wore an ornate torque of gold and turquoise and carried a staff of office. ‘This way, Your Highness, m’lords, m’lady.’

      He led them down a long hall, where the entrances to vast chambers and apartments were alternated with open breeze-ways. Through the breezeways, fountains and small gardens would be illuminated by standards with torches placed atop them. As they passed many such gardens, James said, ‘You might as well get used to those naps, Highness. It’s the custom here. Court business in the morning, the Empress and her privy officers, an afternoon meal, nap from after lunch to evening, court business from sundown to about the ninth hour, then supper.’

      Erland glanced at several serving women passing by, again wearing nothing but the small kilt. ‘I’ll manage,’ he said.

      A thought came from Gamina, not a vocalized word, but an attitude, and it was wholly disapproving.

      Trying to imagine a playful tone, Erland thought back, Lady, please, I’m merely trying to accommodate customs foreign to ours. We must appear very self-conscious and anxious to them.

      Gamina’s expression needed no accompanying thought. Erland tried hard not to laugh and he kept it down to a muted chuckle.

      At the end of the hallway, they intersected and entered an even larger hallway. Columns of stone were all faced with marble and rose to a height of three storeys overhead. The walls on both sides of the hallway were painted with stylized renderings of great events and mythical battles between gods and demons. Down the centre of the hall they walked, their feet treading on a carpet of fabulous design and weave, impossibly long, yet without apparent flaw.

      Every twenty feet or so, a Keshian guard stood at the ready. Erland noticed how little these men looked like the famous Dog Soldiers who manned the frontier with the Kingdom. These soldiers seemed to have been chosen for their appearance more than their experience, Erland thought. Each wore only the short kilt, though of different design, cut away in front so that the legs might move more freely. Each man wore a breechcloth of the same white linen as the kilt, and an ornate belt fashioned of many colours, closed in front by a silver clasp. Each soldier wore the plain cross-gartered sandals, as well. Upon their heads were helms of fascinating design to Erland, barbaric, primitive-looking. One wore a leopard skull atop his head, with the skin of the animal allowed to fall around his shoulders. A few others wore elk heads and bear heads in a similar fashion. Many wore hawk or eagle feathers attached to ivory rings set upon their heads, or helms fashioned from brightly coloured parrot plumes, and a few high conical helms made of reeds dyed bright colours, that looked far from functional for battle.

      James spoke aloud, ‘A grand display, isn’t it?’

      Erland nodded. Nothing he had seen so far in the upper city of Kesh spoke of anything less than excess. In contrast with what they had seen in the lower city, it was even more overwhelming. In even the most minor detail, richness and opulence was the order of the day. Where something base could suffice, it was replaced by something noble: gold in place of common iron, gems in place of glass, silk where cotton would be expected. And after passing through more chambers and halls, he knew the same held true for the servants. If a man was needed, he not only must be fit and able, he had to be handsome. If a woman were to be seen walking through the halls, even by chance, then she must be lovely and young – already Erland was convinced he had seen as many truly СКАЧАТЬ