[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

Senones manor stood were not as grim and tense as they had been yesterday. And today, Chilperic
noted as he handed his riding-beast over to a groom, there was more ordinary activity around the
place, as if things might be beginning to return to normal.
But even before he had passed through the gate into the inner grounds, this last impression was
firmly contradicted by an apparition in the sky.
file:///F|/rah/Fred%20Saberhagen/Saberhagen,%20...Lost%20Swords%204%20-%20Farslayer's%20Story.txt (56 of 111) [2/4/03 9:53:07 PM]
file:///F|/rah/Fred%20Saberhagen/Saberhagen,%20Fred%20-%20Lost%20Swords%204%20-%20Farslayer's%20Story.txt
Suddenly some of the people around him were gawking upward. Following the direction of their
collective gaze, Chilperic beheld a marvel. Outlined against a fluffy cloud was a huge griffin,
spiraling in descent. A single human figure was mounted astride the creature, which possessed the
head and wings of an oversized eagle, and the four-legged body of a lion. Such creatures were
extremely rare, and their flight depended more on magic than on the physical power of their wings.
The griffin's descent was quick, and not many people actually witnessed its arrival. Which was
probably just as well, for most of those who did were petrified. The winged beast came down gently
and peacefully enough, to land on the flat lawn immediately in front of the manor. Though not one
person in a thousand among the general population ever saw one of these uncommon beasts, Chilperic
was no stranger to the sight nor was he, actually, very much surprised by the arrival of a griffin
at the Senones manor just now. He had a good idea who the creature's passenger might be. The gates
in the inner wall of the manor had already been opened to admit Chilperic, and he strode in,
practically unnoticed. The new Tyrant, who seemed to have been waiting on the lawn, quite possibly
to welcome him, had now instead turned his back on Chilperic and the gate for which he could
scarcely be blamed and was gaping like a yokel at the unexpected aerial arrival.
The human figure who had just arrived was at this instant in the act of dismounting from the
griffin's back. This was a diminutive female with her long blond hair bound up closely, dressed in
a close-fitting jacket and trousers, what looked like eminently practical garb for hurtling
through the air astride a monster's back. The woman was very young to all appearances, at least
and very pretty. She could only be the healer that Wood had promised to send.
Meanwhile the griffin was crouching on the lawn in the pose of a docile cat. Still, it managed to
impress and even cow most of the local people who were quickly gathering at a respectful distance
to behold it. Chilperic thought that the monster's presence might well worry the more thoughtful
among the local people, offering as it did more evidence that whether they liked it or not they
were now closely involved in the affairs of the great world.
The young woman with the neatly controlled blond hair and the small backpack immediately decided
whether through deduction or divination which of the people present was the clan leader. For the
moment she ignored everyone else, including Chilperic, and came walking straight to Hissarlik. Her
movements possessed a grace that Chilperic had seldom seen matched. Genuflecting briefly before
the Tyrant in a gesture of great respect, the new arrival introduced herself, in a soft voice, as
Tigris, physician and surgeon.
The Tyrant, staring distractedly at this beauteous arrival as many a more experienced man in his
place would have done murmured and mumbled something in return. Then he recovered himself
sufficiently to take the young lady formally by the hand and bid her welcome.
"Thank you, my lord." The healer's eyelashes fluttered demurely, and her gaze became downcast.
"Will you now have a servant show me to my quarters my room will be next to my patient's, I pray
and provide me with a maidservant to attend me? Soon I will be ready to examine the patient."
"I, uh. Yes, of course." The Tyrant, recovering further, clapped his hands and gave the necessary
orders. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]