Anatar: переводы

→Saratic nodded. That attitude of Fahlthu's was one reason he'd recruited the man in the first place. There were times when a lord warden needed the proper tool for fishing in murky waters.

→"Of course, Milord." Chalthar waved a blunt-fingered hand. "To be honest, it we're going to risk someone, I'd sooner lose Fahlthu than anyone else. But he's only as reliable as his next payday, and I wouldn't trust him not to betray you in a heartbeat if a better offer came along—or if he thought it would keep his own skin safe." The marshal paused, then grimaced. "Actually, Milord, that's not quite fair, I suppose. Fahlthu's brave enough once it actually comes down to blows. It's in his planning before the fighting starts that his thinking depends on what he expects to get out of it."

→"Ah?" Saratic leaned back in his chair, squinting his eyes against the bright sunlight streaming into his study through the windows behind Chalthar.

→"To be honest, Milord, that consideration is one reason I feel they'd be the best choices."

→"An excellent suggestion, Chalthar," Saratic mused aloud. "Of course, Fahlthu and Halnahk hate each other's guts."

→Sir Halnahk was almost the diametric opposite. His loyalty was given to his liege lord because he'd sworn fealty to him. After Chalthar himself, his was probably the most reliable allegiance of any of Saratic's field commanders.

→Sir Fahlthu Greavesbiter's Third Company was actually the largest in Saratic's service. At two hundred men, it was almost twice the size of Sir Halnahk Partisan's Fifth Company. But Fahlthu was also the most mercenary of Saratic's officers. He was very good at his trade, if a bit inclined towards brutality as the solution to most problems, but his loyalty went to the man who paid him, and he'd recruited his oversized company up to strength with men very like himself.

→Saratic pursed his lips while he considered the advice carefully. It was as shrewd as he would have expected from Chalthar, although the Third and Fifth Companies were very different from one another.

→"Aye, Milord," Tarith said, and extended a sealed message pouch.

→"From Sir Jahlahan?" the baron said after a moment, shaking off his reverie.

→"There's a messenger from Sir Jahlahan, Milord."

→"Very well, Milord," he said. "In that case, I'd recommend that we send the Third and Fifth."

→"Yes, I am certain about it," he said instead, and held Chalthar's eyes with his own. There was no expression on the dark-haired, grizzled knight's weathered face, but he bobbed his head in an abbreviated bow.

→And I'd probably be less angry with him if a part of me wasn't worried that he's right, Saratic thought grimly. But he wasn't about to admit that to Chalthar.

→Saratic reminded himself of that as he fought his own temper back under control. There was no doubt in his mind that Chalthar was completely loyal—as only a Sothōii armsman could be—to Saratic personally and to Golden Vale. But the man's long service gave him the right to offer advice when he thought his liege lord was about to commit a serious error. And he obviously thought that was what was about to happen.

→Saratic Redhelm, Lord Warden of Golden Vale, glared at his marshal. Sir Chalthar Ranseur met his glare with a level look of his own. Chalthar had served Saratic for over ten years, and he'd begun as a common armsman under Saratic's father, almost twenty years before that.

→"Begging your pardon, Milord, but are you certain about this?"

→<There are probably enormous holes in your logic, Brother,> he said, <but there are no holes in your heart. I think we can give our fledglings another day or two of practice.>

→Walasfro had started to interrupt, but then he'd stopped to listen to what Kelthys had to say. And at the end, he snorted once again, and tossed his head in agreement.

→"Because I asked him not to," Kelthys said calmly. Walasfro swung his head around to look at him, and Kelthys shrugged. "Yes, we have to move. And, yes, the fundamental responsibility has to be Bahzell's—well, his and the Order's. But whatever's happening out there, it's on the Wind Plain, Walasfro. It's on our land, and it's attacked and killed our coursers, and at the moment, you and I—well, you and I and Bahzell and Walsharno—are the only wind riders here. That's why I sent out the dispatches before we left Deep Water. By now, there must be over a dozen other wind riders on their way to Warm Springs. I expect to see the first of them no later than tomorrow. Don't you think that our own honor and responsibility require that the wind borne and our brothers ride with Tomanāk's warriors at a time like this?"