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A Stroke Of Midnight :: Гамильтон Лорел
Страница: 190 из 293“You are either willing to pay for the crimes of your house, or youare not. Nerys was willing to give her life for her house.”
Dormath’s voice came thin and reedy, as if he was struggling to keep it even. “Her entire house had joined her in her treachery. My house is innocent of wrongdoing, save for these two.”
“Then choose, Dormath. I cannot deny the princess her call for a death. She is within her rights.”
“A death, yes,” Dormath said, “but not an execution. She is within her rights to challenge them to combat, and take their life if she can.”
“That might be true, Lord Dormath,” I said, “if Siobhan had attacked me one-on-one, but she did not. She attacked with the aid of two others. She ambushed me. This was no one-on-one combat. This was an assassination attempt, pure and simple.”
“Innis did not even attack you,” Dormath argued, “he attacked the green knight. Surely it should be he who demands the life debt.”
“Do you think he will show more mercy than the princess?” Andais asked.
“I think Galen has always been a fair man,” Dormath said.
Galen pressed my hand tight in his and sighed. It was not a happy sound. “I tried to be fair, and just, and good, whatever that means. Siobhan told me once that I belong in the Seelie Court, where they try to pretend they are something they’re not. I asked her what they try to pretend to be. Human, she said, and made it sound like a curse.” I watched his face grow solemn, and very unlike my Galen. “Do you really expect me to help you save the lives of the people who tried to kill me?”
The two sidhe looked at each other, and it was Dormath who looked away first. He spoke with his eyes lowered, so that he met no one’s gaze. “One tries to know their opposition and use their strengths and weaknesses against them.”
“Why am I your opposition?” Galen asked.
Dormath spoke to the queen as if he hadn’t heard Galen. “My queen, I would ask that you do not make me choose between my people. One has done, perhaps, the lesser crime, but I have more affection for the other.”
“Answer Galen’s question,” Andais said.
Dormath blinked those deep, shining eyes and looked at her. His thin face showed nothing. “And what question would that be, my queen?”
“I tire of word games quickly, Dormath,” she said. “I suggest you bear that in mind. I will tell you once more. Answer Galen’s question.”
Dormath shivered, and the long black cloak gave the illusion of feathers settling around his body.
Dormath’s voice came thin and reedy, as if he was struggling to keep it even. “Her entire house had joined her in her treachery. My house is innocent of wrongdoing, save for these two.”
“Then choose, Dormath. I cannot deny the princess her call for a death. She is within her rights.”
“A death, yes,” Dormath said, “but not an execution. She is within her rights to challenge them to combat, and take their life if she can.”
“That might be true, Lord Dormath,” I said, “if Siobhan had attacked me one-on-one, but she did not. She attacked with the aid of two others. She ambushed me. This was no one-on-one combat. This was an assassination attempt, pure and simple.”
“Innis did not even attack you,” Dormath argued, “he attacked the green knight. Surely it should be he who demands the life debt.”
“Do you think he will show more mercy than the princess?” Andais asked.
“I think Galen has always been a fair man,” Dormath said.
Galen pressed my hand tight in his and sighed. It was not a happy sound. “I tried to be fair, and just, and good, whatever that means. Siobhan told me once that I belong in the Seelie Court, where they try to pretend they are something they’re not. I asked her what they try to pretend to be. Human, she said, and made it sound like a curse.” I watched his face grow solemn, and very unlike my Galen. “Do you really expect me to help you save the lives of the people who tried to kill me?”
The two sidhe looked at each other, and it was Dormath who looked away first. He spoke with his eyes lowered, so that he met no one’s gaze. “One tries to know their opposition and use their strengths and weaknesses against them.”
“Why am I your opposition?” Galen asked.
Dormath spoke to the queen as if he hadn’t heard Galen. “My queen, I would ask that you do not make me choose between my people. One has done, perhaps, the lesser crime, but I have more affection for the other.”
“Answer Galen’s question,” Andais said.
Dormath blinked those deep, shining eyes and looked at her. His thin face showed nothing. “And what question would that be, my queen?”
“I tire of word games quickly, Dormath,” she said. “I suggest you bear that in mind. I will tell you once more. Answer Galen’s question.”
Dormath shivered, and the long black cloak gave the illusion of feathers settling around his body.