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. Addressing themessenger again, she said  Cook made us a magnificent rabbit stewwith mushrooms and prunes.It was delicious, especially with fresh,crusty bread and a full-bodied, little red wine I discovered they makelocally.I hope you ll enjoy it as much as I did. Your majesty is very kind. the man mumbled, impressed thathe was going to be served the same food as the queen had eaten.Emelasuntha gave him a leather purse..and very generous.Again, thank you, your majesty.Sobrathi, who sat at a little table, looked over the parchment shehad been writing on. You ve got it all? Emelasuntha asked.The baroness nodded. To the last word. Let me see, please. He says he misses us. Sobrathi grinned as she handed her thedocument. Yes, so it seems, the queen answered distractedly.She read the parchment a few times.96 Andrew Ashling What do you think, she asked. He obviously wants us to stay away from his friends. Sobrathishrugged. It s endearing, really. Mildly endearing and highly unpractical.But I also sense ahidden threat. Don t touch my friends, or else.or something likethat. I m sure that is not what he is saying. Oh yes, it is.I know my own son.It s all nicely worded, butnevertheless. Ask her to protect me from divided loyalties, my foot.What he s really saying is  Don t make me choose.You might not likethe outcome. He has done some growing up all right. He s in a tough position, dear.Emelasuntha looked at her with cold eyes. I ve prepared him for that, she said. Dear.Sobrathi sighed. Anyway, I ve already given the Tribe orders to act with themaximum of discretion, the baroness said.Emelasuntha laughed out loud. What? Sobrathi asked, laughing back, but with a touch of thejitterbugs. Discretion and Sobrathi, my dear friend, are not two words thatbelong in the same sentence.What instructions did you give? Don ttorch too many houses? Only when you really, really feel like it?Sobrathi shrugged, slightly miffed. I had to do something. And you were quite right, my dear, Emelasuntha said in aconciliatory tone. Sorry, I was just having a bit of fun at your expense.Bonds of Fear 97Forgive me.You were more than right.It was too dangerous to letthat man live.He could have talked to anybody, after all.Since, over the last thirty years, she had grown used to herfriend teasing her, Sobrathi didn t mind too much.Emelasuntha wasstudying the text again. I wonder, the baroness asked,  what he means by the enemywho could come from behind? Oh, that s obvious.The Mukthars can come from only onedirection, the north.That s the front.So the back is the inland orthe south.He obviously means sabotage.He means Tenaxos and hiscronies. The one who thinks his sword will shatter Anaxantis s? The onehe doesn t fear?Emelasuntha shrugged. Not the foggiest.However, we ll find out.Please, read the nexttwo sentences out loud for me will you.She handed over the parchment and closed her eyes. I dread the one who comes under cover of the night, when it isdark and everything appears black.Shields nor armor will protectme then, I fear. Again, please, but slower.Sobrathi read the sentences again and looked at her friend, whostill sat with her eyes closed.After a few minutes a broad smileappeared on the face of the queen. Did you get it? What does he mean?Again, Emelasuntha laughed out loud. He means what he says.Literally.98 Andrew Ashling Stop teasing me and tell me already. Didn t it occur to you that the sentences sounded a bit.contrived, swollen even?  The night, when it is dark and everythingappears black. Isn t it a bit superfluous to mention that in the nightit is dark? Isn t it even more unnecessary to add that when it is nightand thus dark, everything appears black? Now that you mention it. The next sentence is not exactly incorrect, but it sounds a bitpompous, wouldn t you say?  Shields nor armor will protect me then,I fear. You know, his old teacher would write in red ink  Suggestion:No shield nor armor or something to that effect next to it, the GreatMother bless his grammatically correct, parchment heart.Anaxantiswas a good student and he knows better.He has to mean somethingby it. Well? Sobrathi insisted impatiently. But it is staring you in the face, the queen chortled. It almostliterally jumps off the page. You re driving me crazy, you know, Sobrathi said, beginning tolose her patience. All right, Emelasuntha said, giving in, but still laughing [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]