LE Modesitt Recluce 14 Natural Ordermage v1.2

[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

table, and gestured. Aleasya!
The woman who turned and moved toward Meryssa was broad-shouldered and
muscular, possibly a few years older than Rahl, with a squarish chin, green
eyes, and neck-length brown hair. Her summer tunic and trousers were a darker
gray. Meryssa.
If you wouldn t mind joining us? Meryssa inclined her head. Have you met
Rahl?
I have not. Aleasya set her platter and mug on the table next to Rahl, then
slipped gracefully onto the bench.
Aleasya s an arms instructor, but she s best with blades, Meryssa said.
I m not nearly so good as Zastryl or Fhiera. They re true armsmasters.
You re good enough to have done a tour as a ship s champion.
Anyone who s trained here and made arms level can do that, demurred Aleasya.
They don t really take arms that seriously in any of the port cities,
especially in Candar or Austra. In Hamor, if there s real trouble, they bring
in mages. We re the only sea traders who need armsmen on every vessel.
Rahl just listened.
She started as a trading marine, explained Meryssa. It s better to be a
staff arms trainer here. Easier to keep in shape and condition, too.
Abruptly, Khalyt and Meryssa stood.
We need to go, explained Meryssa. You need more practice, Aleasya said.
Pursers can t just handle coins and supplies, especially around Jerans.
On oneday? acceded Meryssa. In the morning, I can work you in somewhere.
I ll be there.
Aleasya took a swallow of ale, then turned to Rahl. She could be a good blade
if she d work out more.
Rahl didn t want to get into that. He wouldn t have known what made a good
blade and what didn t. Why do you and Khalyt eat here in the mess? You don t
have to, do you?
She laughed. It s all about coins. The staff doesn t pay to eat here. I m not
consorted, and I m not interested in anyone. So I save my coins and buy shares
in one of the trading companies. Someday, I ll be able to sell them and have
the coins to build a place of my own. I already have a piece of ground out
east, just south of the wall&
Are you from Nylan?
Oh, yes. I wouldn t live anywhere else. My mother is one of the port pilots,
and my father is an assistant harbormaster.
But you eat here?
You wouldn t want to eat what either of them cooks, when they cook& if they
cook. Aleasya shook her head. I love them dearly, but their idea of food is
cheese and black bread, with some sort of sausage or meat and whatever green
or fruit is handy.
You train people in arms. Will you be training me?
I ll probably see you when you start arms training, but I won t work with
you.
Why not? asked Rahl. She seemed friendly enough and open, and that was more
than some of those he had met in Nylan.
You re listed as a probable black mage, and that means you won t get more
than a basic farm with edged weapons.
A probable black mage? Was that what Tamryn and
Leyla had meant by order-skills? Why hadn t they just said that? They said I
might have some ability with order.
That brought another laugh. They never tell you. They re afraid that things
won t work out, and then you ll be angry or disappointed.
But why& it seems& cruel not to let people know&
Rahl& it is Rahl, isn t it? I m not that good With names. Black mages and
black engineers are the ones who run Nylan. They re the important ones.
Everyone looks up to them. For all the young people who show some
Page 60
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
order-ability, only a few get to be mages. It s not just talent, and it s not
just work, but it s also a way of looking at the world. Some can handle it,
like Khalyt. He ll never have more than a slight bit of order-skills, but he
understands engines, and he ll do something special someday.
Rahl nodded. This way& of looking at the world. What way is that?
Another laugh followed his question. I wouldn t know. I m a good blade trying
to get better and close to being an armsmaster, if I can. It s just what I ve
heard.
What have you heard about that way of looking at the world? [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

Linki