[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
.Hewould approach no farther. Well, well, came a slurred voice that Thrall remembered all too well. If it isn t my lil pet orc, allgrown up. Thrall did not rise to the bait. Greetings, Lieutenant General, he said. I come not as a pet, but as aleader of an army.An army that has defeated your men soundly in the past.But I will make no moveagainst them this day, unless you force my hand. Langston stood beside his lord on the walkway.He couldn t believe it.Blackmoore was rip-roaringdrunk.Langston, who had helped Tammis carry his lord to bed more times than he cared to admit, hadnever seen Blackmoore so drunk and still be able to stand.What had he been thinking?Blackmoore had had the girl followed, of course.A scout, a master of stealth and sharp of eye, hadunbarred the door in the courier s stable so she would be able to emerge from the tunnel.He hadwatched her greet Thrall and a few other orcs.He had seen her give them a sack of food, seen herembrace the monster, by the Light, and then return via the no-longer-secret tunnel.Blackmoore hadfeigned his drunkenness last evening, and had been quite sober when the shocked girl had walked backinto his bedchamber to be greeted by Blackmoore, Langston, and the others.Taretha had not wanted to talk, but once she learned that she had been spied upon, she made greathaste to assure Blackmoore that Thrall had come to talk peace.The very notion had offendedBlackmoore deeply.He dismissed Langston and the other guards, and for many paces outside his doorLangston could still hear Blackmoore cursing and even the sound of a hand striking flesh.He hadn t seen Blackmoore again until this moment, though Tammis had reported to him.Blackmoorehad sent out his fastest riders, to get reinforcements, but they were still at least four hours away.Thelogical thing to do would be to keep the orc, who had after all raised the flag of truce, talking until helparrived.In fact, etiquette demanded that Blackmoore send out a small party of his own to talk with theorcs.Surely Blackmoore would give the order any moment.Yes, it was the logical thing to do.If thecount was right, and Langston thought it was, the orcish army numbered over two thousand.There were five hundred and forty men in Durnholde, of whom fewer than four hundred were trainedwarriors who had seen combat.As he watched uneasily, Langston saw movement on the horizon.They were too far away for him todetect individuals, but he clearly saw a huge green sea begin to move slowly over the rise, and heard thesteady, unnerving sound of drums.Thrall s army.Though the morning was cool, Langston felt sweat break out under his arms. Tha s nice, Thrall, Blackmoore was saying.As Thrall watched, disgusted, the former war hero swayedand caught himself on the wall. What did you have in mind? Once again, pity warred with hatred in his heart. We have no desire to fight humans anymore, unlessyou force us to defend ourselves.But you hold many hundreds of orcs prisoners, Blackmoore, in yourvile encampments.They will be freed, one way or another.We can do it without more unnecessarybloodshed.Willingly release all the orcs held prisoner in the encampments, and we will return to the wildsand leave humans alone. Blackmoore threw back his head and laughed. Oh, he gasped, wiping tears of mirth from his eyes, oh, you are better than the king s jester, Thrall.Slave.I swear, it is more entertaining to watch you nowthan it was when you fought in the gladiator ring.Listen to you! Using complete sentences, by the Light!Think you understand mercy, do you? Langston felt a tug on his sleeve.He jumped, and turned to behold Sergeant. I ve no great love for you,Langston, the man growled, his eyes fierce, but at least you re sober.You ve got to shut Blackmooreup! Get him down from there! You ve seen what the orcs can do. We can t possibly surrender! gasped Langston, though in his heart he wanted to. Nay, said Sergeant, but we should at least send out men to talk to them, buy some time for our alliesto get here.Hedid send for reinforcements, didn t he? Of course he did, Langston hissed.Their conversation had been overheard and Blackmoore turnedbloodshot eyes in their direction.There was a small sack at his feet and he nearly stumbled over it. Ah, Sergeant! he boomed, lurching over toward him. Thrall! Here s an old friend! Thrall sighed.Langston thought he looked the most composed of all of them. I am sorry that you arestill here, Sergeant. As am I, Langston heard the Sergeant mutter.Louder, Sergeant said, You ve been too long away,Thrall. Convince Blackmoore to release the orcs, and I swear on the honor that you taught me and I possess,none within these walls shall come to harm. My lord, said Langston nervously, You recall what powers I saw displayed in the last conflict.Thrallhad me, and he let me go.He kept his word.I know he s only an orc, but Y hear that, Thrall? bellowed Blackmoore. You re only an orc! Even that idiot Langston says so!What kin of human surrenders to an orc? He rushed forward and leaned over the wall. Why d you do it, Thrall? he cried brokenly. I gave you everything! You and me, we d have led thosegreenskins of yours against th Alliance and had all the food and wine and gold we could want! Langston stared, horrified.Blackmoore was now screaming his treachery to all within earshot.At leasthe hadn t implicated Langston.yet.Langston wished he had the guts to just shove Blackmoore overthe wall and surrender the fortress to Thrall right now. Thrall didn t waste the opportunity. Do you hear that, men of Durnholde! he bellowed. Your lord andmaster would betray all of you! Rise up against him, take him away, yield to us, and at the end of the dayyou will still have your lives and your fortress! But there was no sudden stirring of rebellion, and Thrall supposed he couldn t blame them. I ask youonce more, Blackmoore.Negotiate, or die. Blackmoore stood up to his full height.Thrall now saw that he held something in his right hand.It was asack. Here s my answer, Thrall! He reached into the sack and pulled something out.Thrall couldn t see what it was, but he saw Sergeantand Langston recoil.Then the object came hurtling toward him and struck the ground, rolling to a stop atThrall s feet.Taretha s blue eyes stared sightlessly up at him from her severed head. That s what I do with traitors! screamed Blackmoore, dancing madly on the walkway. That s whatwe do with people we love who betray us.who take everything and give nothing.who sympathizewith double-damnedorcs! Thrall didn t hear him.Thunder was rolling in his ears.His knees went weak and he fell to the earth.Gorge rose in his throat and his vision swam.It couldn t be.Not Tari.Surely not even Blackmoore could do such an abominable thing to an innocent.But blessed unconsciousness would not come.He remained stubbornly awake, staring at long blondhair, blue eyes, and a bloody severed neck [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl matkasanepid.xlx.pl
.Hewould approach no farther. Well, well, came a slurred voice that Thrall remembered all too well. If it isn t my lil pet orc, allgrown up. Thrall did not rise to the bait. Greetings, Lieutenant General, he said. I come not as a pet, but as aleader of an army.An army that has defeated your men soundly in the past.But I will make no moveagainst them this day, unless you force my hand. Langston stood beside his lord on the walkway.He couldn t believe it.Blackmoore was rip-roaringdrunk.Langston, who had helped Tammis carry his lord to bed more times than he cared to admit, hadnever seen Blackmoore so drunk and still be able to stand.What had he been thinking?Blackmoore had had the girl followed, of course.A scout, a master of stealth and sharp of eye, hadunbarred the door in the courier s stable so she would be able to emerge from the tunnel.He hadwatched her greet Thrall and a few other orcs.He had seen her give them a sack of food, seen herembrace the monster, by the Light, and then return via the no-longer-secret tunnel.Blackmoore hadfeigned his drunkenness last evening, and had been quite sober when the shocked girl had walked backinto his bedchamber to be greeted by Blackmoore, Langston, and the others.Taretha had not wanted to talk, but once she learned that she had been spied upon, she made greathaste to assure Blackmoore that Thrall had come to talk peace.The very notion had offendedBlackmoore deeply.He dismissed Langston and the other guards, and for many paces outside his doorLangston could still hear Blackmoore cursing and even the sound of a hand striking flesh.He hadn t seen Blackmoore again until this moment, though Tammis had reported to him.Blackmoorehad sent out his fastest riders, to get reinforcements, but they were still at least four hours away.Thelogical thing to do would be to keep the orc, who had after all raised the flag of truce, talking until helparrived.In fact, etiquette demanded that Blackmoore send out a small party of his own to talk with theorcs.Surely Blackmoore would give the order any moment.Yes, it was the logical thing to do.If thecount was right, and Langston thought it was, the orcish army numbered over two thousand.There were five hundred and forty men in Durnholde, of whom fewer than four hundred were trainedwarriors who had seen combat.As he watched uneasily, Langston saw movement on the horizon.They were too far away for him todetect individuals, but he clearly saw a huge green sea begin to move slowly over the rise, and heard thesteady, unnerving sound of drums.Thrall s army.Though the morning was cool, Langston felt sweat break out under his arms. Tha s nice, Thrall, Blackmoore was saying.As Thrall watched, disgusted, the former war hero swayedand caught himself on the wall. What did you have in mind? Once again, pity warred with hatred in his heart. We have no desire to fight humans anymore, unlessyou force us to defend ourselves.But you hold many hundreds of orcs prisoners, Blackmoore, in yourvile encampments.They will be freed, one way or another.We can do it without more unnecessarybloodshed.Willingly release all the orcs held prisoner in the encampments, and we will return to the wildsand leave humans alone. Blackmoore threw back his head and laughed. Oh, he gasped, wiping tears of mirth from his eyes, oh, you are better than the king s jester, Thrall.Slave.I swear, it is more entertaining to watch you nowthan it was when you fought in the gladiator ring.Listen to you! Using complete sentences, by the Light!Think you understand mercy, do you? Langston felt a tug on his sleeve.He jumped, and turned to behold Sergeant. I ve no great love for you,Langston, the man growled, his eyes fierce, but at least you re sober.You ve got to shut Blackmooreup! Get him down from there! You ve seen what the orcs can do. We can t possibly surrender! gasped Langston, though in his heart he wanted to. Nay, said Sergeant, but we should at least send out men to talk to them, buy some time for our alliesto get here.Hedid send for reinforcements, didn t he? Of course he did, Langston hissed.Their conversation had been overheard and Blackmoore turnedbloodshot eyes in their direction.There was a small sack at his feet and he nearly stumbled over it. Ah, Sergeant! he boomed, lurching over toward him. Thrall! Here s an old friend! Thrall sighed.Langston thought he looked the most composed of all of them. I am sorry that you arestill here, Sergeant. As am I, Langston heard the Sergeant mutter.Louder, Sergeant said, You ve been too long away,Thrall. Convince Blackmoore to release the orcs, and I swear on the honor that you taught me and I possess,none within these walls shall come to harm. My lord, said Langston nervously, You recall what powers I saw displayed in the last conflict.Thrallhad me, and he let me go.He kept his word.I know he s only an orc, but Y hear that, Thrall? bellowed Blackmoore. You re only an orc! Even that idiot Langston says so!What kin of human surrenders to an orc? He rushed forward and leaned over the wall. Why d you do it, Thrall? he cried brokenly. I gave you everything! You and me, we d have led thosegreenskins of yours against th Alliance and had all the food and wine and gold we could want! Langston stared, horrified.Blackmoore was now screaming his treachery to all within earshot.At leasthe hadn t implicated Langston.yet.Langston wished he had the guts to just shove Blackmoore overthe wall and surrender the fortress to Thrall right now. Thrall didn t waste the opportunity. Do you hear that, men of Durnholde! he bellowed. Your lord andmaster would betray all of you! Rise up against him, take him away, yield to us, and at the end of the dayyou will still have your lives and your fortress! But there was no sudden stirring of rebellion, and Thrall supposed he couldn t blame them. I ask youonce more, Blackmoore.Negotiate, or die. Blackmoore stood up to his full height.Thrall now saw that he held something in his right hand.It was asack. Here s my answer, Thrall! He reached into the sack and pulled something out.Thrall couldn t see what it was, but he saw Sergeantand Langston recoil.Then the object came hurtling toward him and struck the ground, rolling to a stop atThrall s feet.Taretha s blue eyes stared sightlessly up at him from her severed head. That s what I do with traitors! screamed Blackmoore, dancing madly on the walkway. That s whatwe do with people we love who betray us.who take everything and give nothing.who sympathizewith double-damnedorcs! Thrall didn t hear him.Thunder was rolling in his ears.His knees went weak and he fell to the earth.Gorge rose in his throat and his vision swam.It couldn t be.Not Tari.Surely not even Blackmoore could do such an abominable thing to an innocent.But blessed unconsciousness would not come.He remained stubbornly awake, staring at long blondhair, blue eyes, and a bloody severed neck [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]