Thieves World 01 – Thieves World by Asprin, Robert

country in the Empire – hardly more than mentions in the chronicles of Venafer

and Mattathan, or the Natural History of Kahayavesh. How do you happen to come

here?’

‘Oh-ah, I’m a younger son of our king, and I thought I’d see a bit of the world

before settling down. Not that I packed any wealth along to speak of. But what

with one thing and another, hiring out hither and yon for this or that, I get

by.’ Jamie paused. ‘You, uh, you’ve far more to tell, milady. You’re from the

crown city of the Empire, and you’ve got book learning, and at the same time you

come out to see for yourself what land and rocks and plants and animals are

like.’

Cappen decided he had better get into the conversation. Not that Jamie would

undercut a friend, nor Danlis be unduly attracted by a wild highlander.

Neverthless –

Jamie wasn’t bad-looking in his fashion. He was huge, topping Cappen by a head

and disproportionately wide in the shoulders. His loose-jointed appearance was

deceptive, as the bard had learned when they sported in a public gymnasium;

those were heavy bones and oak-hard muscles. A spectacular red mane drew

attention from boyish face, mild blue eyes, and slightly diffident manner. Today

he was plainly clad, in tunic and cross-gaitered breeks; but the knife at his

belt and the axe at his saddlebow stood out.

As for Danlis, well, what could a poet do but struggle for words which might

embody a ghost of her glory? She was tall and slender, her features almost cold

in their straight-lined perfection and alabaster hue – till you observed the big