Читать книгу Element. Flame of Elisar онлайн
Several times I came across carts, all creaking under a pile of goods carried for sale. Once I saw a flock of sheep. I swept among them, which scared the poor animals half to death. Frightened, they rushed all different ways, and I could hear a good deal of expletive from the shepherds behind.
A couple of hours later the northern slope of Mount Eagle could be seen. The garrison was in its right part, so I just got round another rock and went straight there.
The Eagle’s Nest fortress seemed relatively small, yet quite strong. It was built of huge gray stones whose color matched the main rock, and which gave the impression that the fort was part of the rock.
Nearby, a cheerful waterfall was running noisily in fast mountain streams. Not as big as in Karun, though, yet showing some strength.
Nargara told once that the fortification was built quite a long time ago, when the trade way running through Karun was much busier, and there were more than a few robbers in the area. No better place for them! Deserted mountains, no guard, lots of carts transporting piles of goods – that’s what paradise for criminals must look like.
The local merchants soon got fed up with the robbers, and after a while, Lord Sakhord – the current ruler’s great-grandfather, ordered several fortresses be built around, with guardians patrolling the entire path far and wide. Two of them were built here in the Highlands – one in Karun, the other – on Mount Eagle.
I slowed down as I approached the fortress gate and gave a loud shout. The guard stuck his head from above, and the next instant the gate yielded open with a creak.
“Hey, Ricka!” Tonar greeted me from above. He was a young guard from the junior garrison. Apparently, he had been put there as the gate guard, which must have made him enormously proud.
“Hi, Tonar! They must have appreciated some merit of yours to put you here today, right?” I asked. I knew the rule there – only the warriors of the senior and more experienced garrison were allowed to the gate duty, while younger ones could earn the accolade for some special act only, so each of them tried hard to take up the post. I still found it quite strange a system of encouragement, but men will remain men, so never even try to get their logic.