rh.royalassassin-第105节

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e。　〃Fitz。　My　horses　are　gone。〃　He　swayed　slightly　on　his　feet。
　　　　　　　〃It　wasn't　Hands's　doing；〃　I　said　quietly。　Then　I　asked；　〃Where　is　Prince　Verity？〃
　　　　　　　His　brows　knit　and　he　looked　at　me　oddly。　〃You　did　not　expect　me？〃　He　paused；　said　more　loudly；　〃Messages　were　sent　ahead　of　me。　Didn't　you　get　them？〃
　　　　　　　〃We've　heard　nothing。　What　happened？　Why　are　you　back？〃
　　　　　　　He　looked　around　at　the　gaping　stable　boys；　and　something　of　the　Burrich　I　knew　came　into　his　eyes　again。　〃If　you　have　not　heard　yet；　then　it　is　not　for　gossip　and　mon　talk。　I　must　go　straight　to　the　King。〃　He　drew　himself　up　straight；　looked　around　again　at　the　boys　and　grooms。　The　old　whiplash　was　back　in　his　voice　as　he　demanded；　〃Have　you　no　work　to　do？　I　shall　be　looking　over　how　you　have　cared　for　things　in　my　absence　as　soon　as　I　return　from　the　Keep。〃
　　　　　　　Like　fog　in　the　sunlight；　the　workers　dissipated。　Burrich　turned　to　Hands。　〃Would　you　care　for　my　horse？　Poor　Ruddy's　been　poorly　treated　these　last　days。　Treat　him　well；　now　that　he's　home。〃
　　　　　　　Hands　nodded。　〃Of　course。　Shall　I　send　for　the　healer？　I　could　have　him　waiting　here　for　you　when　you　e　back。〃
　　　　　　　Burrich　shook　his　head。　〃What　can　be　done　for　this；　I　can　do　for　myself。　e；　Fitz。　Give　me　your　arm。〃
　　　　　　　In　disbelief；　I　offered　my　arm　and　Burrich　took　it；　leaning　on　me　heavily。　For　the　first　time　I　glanced　down。　What　I　had　taken　to　be　heavy　winter　leggings　at　first　glance　was　actually　a　thick　wrap　of　bandaging　on　his　bad　leg。　He　favored　it；　putting　most　of　his　weight　on　me　as　he　limped　along。　I　could　feel　the　exhaustion　thrumming　through　him。　Up　close；　I　could　smell　the　sweat　of　pain　on　him。　His　clothing　was　stained　and　torn；　his　hands　and　face　begrimed。　This　was　as　unlike　the　man　I　knew　as　anything　I　could　imagine。　〃Please；〃　I　said　quietly　as　I　helped　him　toward　the　castle。　〃Is　Verity　all　right？〃
　　　　　　　He　gave　me　a　ghost　of　a　smile。　〃You　think　our　prince　could　be　dead；　and　I　still　be　alive？　You　insult　me。　Besides；　use　your　wits。　You'd　know　if　he　was　dead。　Or　injured。〃　He　paused　and　studied　me　carefully。　〃Wouldn't　you？〃
　　　　　　　It　was　plain　what　he　spoke　of。　Ashamedly；　I　admitted；　〃Our　link　is　not　reliable。　Some　things　are　clear。　Some　are　not。　Of　this；　I　knew　nothing。　What's　happened？〃
　　　　　　　He　looked　thoughtful。　〃Verity　said　he　would　try　to　send　word　through　you。　If　you've　relayed　no　tidings　to　Shrewd；　then　this　information　should　first　go　to　the　King。〃
　　　　　　　I　asked　no　more　questions。
　　　　　　　I　had　forgotten　how　long　it　had　been　since　Burrich　had　seen　King　Shrewd。　Mornings　were　not　the　King's　best　times；　but　when　I　mentioned　this　to　Burrich；　he　said　he　would　rather　report　immediately　at　a　bad　time　than　delay　information。　So　we　knocked　and；　to　my　surprise；　were　admitted。　Once　within；　I　realized　this　was　because　Wallace　was　nowhere　about。
　　　　　　　Instead；　as　I　entered；　the　Fool　asked　me　graciously；　〃Back　for　more　Smoke？〃　Then；　as　he　caught　sight　of　Burrich；　the　mocking　grin　faded　from　his　face。　His　eyes　met　mine。　〃The　Prince？〃
　　　　　　　〃Burrich　has　e　to　report　to　the　King。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　shall　try　to　rouse　him。　Though　the　way　he　has　been　of　late；　one　might　as　well　report　to　him　sleeping　as　awake。　He　takes　as　much　notice　either　way。〃
　　　　　　　Accustomed　as　I　was　to　the　Fool's　mockery；　this　still　jarred　me。　The　sarcasm　bit　wrong；　for　there　was　too　much　resignation　in　his　voice。　Burrich　looked　at　me　worriedly。　He　whispered；　〃What　is　wrong　with　my　king？〃
　　　　　　　I　shook　my　head　at　him　for　quiet　and　tried　to　get　him　to　take　a　seat。
　　　　　　　〃I　stand　before　my　king；　until　he　bids　me　be　seated；〃　he　said　stiffly。
　　　　　　　〃You　are　injured。　He　would　understand。〃
　　　　　　　〃He　is　my　king。　That　is　what　I　understand。〃
　　　　　　　So　I　gave　off　urging　him。　We　waited　for　a　time；　and　more　than　a　time。　At　last　the　Fool　came　out　of　the　King's　bedchamber。　〃He　is　not　well；〃　he　cautioned　us。　〃It　has　taken　me　a　time　to　make　him　understand　who　is　here。　But　he　says　he　will　hear　your　report。　In　his　chambers。〃
　　　　　　　So　Burrich　leaned　on　me　as　we　went　into　the　dimness　and　smoke　of　the　King's　bedchamber。　I　saw　Burrich　wrinkle　his　nose　in　distaste。　Acrid　fumes　of　Smoke　hung　heavy　here；　and　several　small　censers　burned。　The　Fool　had　drawn　back　the　bed　curtains；　and　as　we　stood　he　patted　and　poked　cushions　and　pillows　behind　the　King's　back　until　Shrewd　waved　him　aside　with　a　small　gesture。
　　　　　　　I　looked　at　our　monarch　and　wondered　how　I　had　not　seen　the　signs　of　his　disease。　They　were　plainly　there　when　one　looked。　The　general　wasting　of　his　body；　the　sour　edge　of　his　sweat；　the　yellow　in　the　whites　of　his　eyes：　these　were　the　least　things　I　should　have　seen。　The　shock　on　Burrich's　face　told　me　plainly　that　the　change　since　Burrich　had　last　seen　him　was　immense。　But　he　covered　it　well　and　drew　himself　up　straight。
　　　　　　　〃My　king；　I　have　e　to　report；〃　he　said　formally。
　　　　　　　Shrewd　blinked　slowly。　〃Report；〃　he　said　vaguely；　and　I　was　not　sure　if　he　gave　Burrich　an　order；　or　simply　repeated　the　word。　Burrich　took　it　as　a　mand。　He　was　as　thorough　and　exact　as　he　had　always　insisted　I　be。　I　stood；　and　he　supported　his　weight　on　my　shoulder　as　he　told　of　journeying　with　Prince　Verity　through　the　winter　snows；　traveling　always　toward　the　Mountain　Kingdom。　He　did　not　mince　words；　but　spoke　plainly。　The　journey　had　been　full　of　hardships。　Despite　messengers　sent　ahead　of　Verity's　expedition；　hospitality　and　aid　along　the　way　had　been　poor。　Those　nobles　whose　homes　lay　along　their　route　professed　to　have　known　nothing　of　Verity's　ing。　In　many　cases；　they　found　only　servants　to　greet　them；　and　the　hospitality　no　more　than　what　would　have　been　offered　to　any　ordinary　traveler。　Supplies　and　extra　horses　that　should　have　been　waiting　for　them　at　assigned　locations　were　not。　The　horses　had　suffered　more　grievously　than　the　men。　The　weather　had　been　savage。
　　　　　　　As　Burrich　reported　I　felt　a　tremor　run　through　him　from　time　to　time。　The　man　was　at　the　edge　of　plete　exhaustion。　But　each　time　he　shook；　I　felt　him　take　a　deep　breath；　steady　himself；　and　go　on。
　　　　　　　His　voice　quavered　only　slightly　as　he　told　how　they　had　been　ambushed　on　the　plains　of　Farrow；　before　they　came　in　sight　of　Blue　Lake。　He　drew　no　conclusions　himself；　but　only　observed　that　these　highwaymen　fought　in　a　military　style。　While　they　wore　no　Duke's　colors；　they　seemed　well　dressed　and　well　armed　for　brigands。　And　Verity　was　obviously　their　intended　target。　When　two　of　the　baggage　animals　broke　loose　and　fled；　none　of　their　attackers　broke　away　to　follow　them。　Bandits　usually　would　have　preferred　chasing　laden　pack　beasts　to　fighting　armed　men。　Verity's　men　had　finally　found　a　place　to　take　a　stand　and　had　successfully　stood　them　off。　Their　attackers　had　finally　given　up　when　they　realized　that　Verity's　guard　would　die　to　the　last　man　before　surrendering　or　giving　way。　They　had　ridden　off；　leaving　their　fallen　dead　in　the　snow。
　　　　　　　〃They　had　not　defeated　us；　but　we　were　not　unscathed。　We　lost　a　good　portion　of　our　supplies。　Seven　men　and　nine　horses　were　killed　outright。　Two　of　us　were　injured　seriously。　Three　others　took　minor　injuries。　It　was　Prince　Verity's　decision　to　send　the　injured　back　to　Buckkeep。　With　us　he　sent　two　sound　men。　His　plan　was　to　continue　his　quest；　to　take　his　guard　with　him　as　far　as　the　Mountain　Kingdom；　and　to　have　them　stay　there　to　await　his　return。　Keen　was　placed　in　charge　of　those　of　us　returning。　To　him；　Verity　entrusted　written　information。　I　do　not　know　what　that　information　packet　contained。　Keen　and　the　others　were　killed　five　days　ago。　We　were　ambushed　just　outside　the　border　of　Buck；　as　we　were　traveling　by　the　Buck　River。　Archers。　It　was　very　。。。　quick。　Four　of　us　went　down　right　away。　My　horse　was　struck　in　the　flank。　Ruddy's　a　young　beast。　He　panicked。　He　plunged　over　an　embankment　into　the　river；　and　I　with　him。　The　river　is　deep　there；　and　the　current　strong。　I　clung　to　Ruddy；　but　we　were　both　swept　downriver。　I　heard　Keen　shouting　to　the　others　to　ride；　that　some　must　make　it　back　to　Buckkeep。　But　none　of　them　did。　When　Ruddy　and　I　managed　to　clamber　out　of　the　Buck；　we　went　back。　I　found　the　bodies。　The　papers　Keen　had　carried　were　gone。〃
　　　　　　　He　stood　straight　as　he　reported；　and　his　voice　was　clear。　His　words　were　simple。　His　report　was　a　simple　description　of　what　had　happened。　He　mentioned　nothing　of　what　he　had　felt　at　being　sent　back；　or　at　being　the　sole　survivor　to　return。　He　would　drink　himself　sodden　tonight；　I　suspected。　I　wondered　if　he　would　want　pany　for　that。　But　for　now；　he　stood；　silent；　awaiting　his　king's　questions。　The　silence　stretched　overlong。　〃My　king？〃　he　ventured。
　　　　　　　King　Shrewd　shifted　in　the　shadows　of　his　bed。　〃It　reminds　me　of　my　younger　days；〃　he　said　hoarsely。　〃Once　I　could　sit　a　horse　and　hold　a　sword。　When　a　man　loses　that　well；　once　that　is　gone；　he　has　actually　lost　far　more　than　that。　But　your　horse　was　all　right？〃
　　　　　　　Burrich　furrowed　his　brow。　〃I　did　what　I　could　for　him；　my　king。　He　will　take　no　permanent　harm　from　it。〃
　　　　　　　〃Well。　At　least　there　is　that；　then。　At　least　there　is　that。〃　King　Shrewd　paused。　For　a　moment　we　listened　to　his　breathing。　He　seemed　to　be　working　at　it。　〃Go　and　get　some　rest；　man；〃　he　said　at　last；　gruffly。　〃You　look