rh.royalassassin-第125节

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with　no　chance　to　consult　anyone　else。　So　I　cannot　promise。　But　I　will　promise　to　try。　Is　that　enough？〃
　　　　　　　〃I　suppose。　Catalyst；〃　he　muttered。
　　　　　　　〃So　the　Fool　calls　me；　too；〃　I　plained。
　　　　　　　Chade　stopped　abruptly　in　the　midst　of　starting　to　say　something。　〃Does　he　really？〃　he　asked　intently。
　　　　　　　〃He　clubs　me　with　the　word　every　chance　he　gets。〃　I　walked　down　to　Chade's　hearth　and　sat　down　before　his　fire。　The　heat　felt　good。　〃Burrich　says　that　too　strong　a　dose　of　elfbark　can　lead　to　bleak　spirits　afterward。〃
　　　　　　　〃Do　you　find　it　so？〃
　　　　　　　〃Yes。　But　it　could　be　the　circumstances。　Yet　Verity　seemed　often　depressed；　and　he　used　it　frequently。　Again；　it　could　be　the　circumstances。〃
　　　　　　　〃It　may　be　we　shall　never　know。〃
　　　　　　　〃You　speak　very　freely　tonight。　Naming　names；　ascribing　motives。〃
　　　　　　　〃All　is　gaiety　in　the　Great　Hall　tonight。　Regal　was　certain　he　had　bagged　his　game。　All　his　watches　were　relaxed；　all　his　spies　given　a　night's　liberty。〃　He　looked　at　me　sourly。　〃I　am　sure　it　will　not　be　the　same　again　for　a　while。〃
　　　　　　　〃So　you　think　what　we　say　here　can　be　listened　to。〃
　　　　　　　〃Anywhere　I　can　listen　and　peep；　from　there　it　is　possible　I　could　be　overheard　and　spied　upon。　Only　just　possible。　But　one　does　not　get　to　be　as　old　as　I　am　by　taking　chances。〃
　　　　　　　An　old　memory　suddenly　made　sense。　〃You　once　told　me　that　in　the　Queen's　Garden；　you　are　blind。〃
　　　　　　　〃Exactly。〃
　　　　　　　〃So　you　did　not　know…〃
　　　　　　　〃I　did　not　know　what　Galen　was　putting　you　through；　at　the　time　he　was　doing　it。　I　was　privy　to　gossip；　much　of　it　unreliable　and　all　of　it　far　after　the　fact。　But　on　the　night　he　beat　you　and　left　you　to　die　。。。　No。〃　He　looked　at　me　strangely。　〃Had　you　believed　I　could　know　of　such　a　thing　and　take　no　action？〃
　　　　　　　〃You　had　promised　not　to　interfere　with　my　instruction；〃　I　said　stiffly。
　　　　　　　Chade　took　his　chair；　leaned　back　with　a　sigh。　〃I　don't　think　you　will　ever　pletely　trust　anyone。　Or　believe　that　someone　cares　about　you。〃
　　　　　　　Silence　filled　me。　I　didn't　know　the　answer。　First　Burrich　and　now　Chade；　forcing　me　to　look　at　myself　in　unfortable　ways。
　　　　　　　〃Ah；　well；〃　Chade　conceded　to　my　silence。　〃As　I　began　to　say　earlier。　Salvage。〃
　　　　　　　〃What　do　you　want　me　to　do？〃
　　　　　　　He　breathed　out　through　his　nose。　〃Nothing。〃
　　　　　　　〃But　。。。〃
　　　　　　　〃Absolutely　nothing。　Remember　this　at　all　times。　King…in…Waiting　Verity　is　dead。　Live　that　belief。　Believe　that　Regal　has　the　right　to　claim　his　spot；　believe　he　has　the　right　to　do　all　the　things　he　does。　Placate　him　for　now；　give　him　nothing　to　fear。　We　must　make　him　believe　he　has　won。〃
　　　　　　　I　thought　for　a　moment。　Then　I　stood　and　drew　my　belt　knife。
　　　　　　　〃What　are　you　doing？〃　Chade　demanded。
　　　　　　　〃What　Regal　would　expect　me　to　do；　did　I　truly　believe　Verity　was　dead。〃　I　reached　in　back　of　my　head；　to　where　a　leather　thong　bound　my　hair　back　in　a　warrior's　tail。
　　　　　　　〃I　have　shears；〃　Chade　pointed　out　in　annoyance。　He　went　and　got　them　and　stood　behind　me。　〃How　much？〃
　　　　　　　I　considered。　〃As　extreme　as　I　can　be；　short　of　mourning　him　as　a　crowned　King。〃
　　　　　　　〃Are　you　sure？〃
　　　　　　　〃It's　what　Regal　would　expect　of　me。〃
　　　　　　　〃That's　true；　I　suppose。〃　With　a　single　clip；　Chade　took　off　my　hair　at　the　knot。　It　felt　strange　to　have　it　suddenly　fall　forward；　short；　not　even　to　my　jaw。　As　if　I　were　a　page　again。　I　reached　up　and　felt　its　shortness　as　I　asked　him；　〃What　will　you　be　doing？〃　'
　　　　　　　〃Trying　to　find　a　safe　place　for　Kettricken　and　the　King。　I　must　make　all　things　ready　for　their　flight。　When　they　go；　they　must　vanish　like　shadows　when　the　light　es。〃
　　　　　　　〃Are　you　sure　this　is　necessary？〃
　　　　　　　〃What　else　is　left　for　us？　They　are　no　more　than　hostages　now。　Powerless。　The　Inland　Dukes　have　turned　to　Regal；　the　Coastal　Dukes　have　lost　faith　in　King　Shrewd。　Kettricken　has　made　herself　allies　amongst　them；　however。　I　must　tug　at　the　strings　she　has　spun　and　see　what　I　can　arrange。　At　least　we　can　see　them　placed　where　their　safety　cannot　be　used　against　Verity　when　he　es　back　to　reclaim　his　crown。〃
　　　　　　　〃If　he　returns；〃　I　said　gloomily。
　　　　　　　〃When。　The　Elderlings　will　be　with　him。〃　Chade　looked　at　me　sourly。　〃Try　to　believe　in　something；　boy。　For　my　sake。〃
　　　　　　　Without　a　doubt；　the　time　that　I　spent　under　Galen's　tutelage　was　the　worst　period　of　my　life　at　Buckkeep。　But　the　week　that　followed　that　night　with　Chade　runs　a　close　second。　We　were　an　anthill；　kicked　apart。　No　matter　where　I　went　in　the　Keep；　there　were　constant　reminders　that　the　foundations　of　my　life　had　been　shattered。　Nothing　would　ever　be　as　it　was　before。
　　　　　　　There　was　a　great　influx　of　folk　from　the　Inland　Duchies；　e　to　witness　Regal　being　king…in…waiting。　Had　not　our　stables　been　so　depleted　already；　it　would　have　taxed　Burrich　and　Hands　to　keep　up　with　them。　As　it　was；　it　seemed　like　Inlanders　were　everywhere；　tall；　towheaded　Farrow　men；　and　brawny　Tilth　farmers　and　cattlemen。　They　were　a　bright　contrast　to　the　glum　Buckkeep　soldiers　with　their　mourning　cropped　hair。　Not　a　few　clashes　occurred。　The　grumble　from　Buckkeep　Town　took　the　form　of　jests　paring　the　invasion　of　the　Inlanders　with　the　raids　of　the　Outislanders。　The　humor　had　always　a　bitter　edge。
　　　　　　　For　the　counterpoint　to　this　influx　of　folk　and　business　in　Buckkeep　Town　was　the　outflow　of　goods　from　Buckkeep。　Rooms　were　stripped　shamelessly。　Tapestries　and　rugs；　furniture　and　tools；　supplies　of　all　kinds　were　drained　out　of　the　Keep；　to　be　loaded　on　barges　and　taken　upriver　to　Tradeford；　always　to　be　〃kept　safe〃　or　〃for　the　fort　of　the　King。〃　Mistress　Hasty　was　at　her　wit's　end　to　house　so　many　guests　when　half　the　furniture　was　being　hauled　off　to　barges。　Some　days　it　seemed　that　Regal　was　attempting　to　see　that　all　he　could　not　carry　off　with　him　was　devoured　before　he　left。
　　　　　　　At　the　same　time　he　was　sparing　no　expense　to　be　sure　that　his　crowning　as　king…in…waiting　would　be　as　full　of　pomp　and　ceremony　as　possible。　I　truly　did　not　know　why　he　bothered　with　it　at　all。　To　me；　at　least；　it　seemed　plain　he　planned　on　abandoning　four　of　the　Six　Duchies　to　their　own　devices。　But　as　the　Fool　had　once　warned　me；　there　was　no　point　to　trying　to　measure　Regal's　wheat　with　my　bushels。　We　had　no　mon　standard。　Perhaps　to　insist　the　Dukes　and　nobles　of　Bearns　and　Rippon　and　Shoaks　e　to　witness　him　assume　Verity's　crown　was　some　subtle　form　of　revenge　I　could　not　understand。　Little　enough　did　he　care　what　hardship　it　worked　upon　them　to　e　to　Buckkeep　at　a　time　when　their　shores　were　so　beleaguered。　I　was　not　surprised　that　they　were　slow　to　arrive；　and　that　when　they　did；　they　were　shocked　at　the　sacking　of　Buckkeep。　Word　of　Regal's　plan　to　remove　himself　and　the　King　and　Kettricken　had　not　been　spread　to　the　Coastal　Duchies　by　any　means　other　than　rumor。
　　　　　　　But　long　before　the　Coastal　Dukes　arrived；　while　I　still　endured　the　greater　general　chaos；　the　rest　of　my　life　began　to　rattle　into　pieces。　Serene　and　Justin　began　to　haunt　me。　I　was　aware　of　them；　often　physically　following　me；　but　just　as　often　Skilling　at　the　edges　of　my　consciousness。　They　were　like　pecking　birds　e　after　any　loose　thoughts　I　might　have；　snatching　at　casual　daydreams　or　any　unguarded　moment　of　my　life。　That　was　bad　enough。　But　I　saw　them　now　as　only　the　distraction；　the　diversion　created　to　keep　me　from　being　aware　of　Will's　more　subtle　haunting。　So　I　set　my　guards　most　strongly　about　my　mind；　knowing　I　probably　shielded　out　Verity　as　well。　I　feared　this　was　their　actual　intent；　but　dared　reveal　that　fear　to　no　one。　I　watched　constantly　behind　myself；　using　every　sense　Nighteyes　and　I　possessed。　I　vowed　I　would　be　more　wary；　and　set　myself　the　task　of　discovering　what　the　other　coterie　members　worked　at。　Burl　was　at　Tradeford；　ostensibly　helping　prepare　the　place　for　King　Shrewd's　fort。　I　had　no　idea　where　Carrod　was；　and　there　was　no　one　I　could　discreetly　ask。　The　only　thing　I　could　discover　for　certain　was　that　he　was　no　longer　on　the　Constance。　So　I　worried。　And　became　almost　mad　with　worry　that　I　did　not　detect　Will　shadowing　after　me　anymore。　Did　he　know　I　had　bee　aware　of　him？　Or　was　he　so　good　I　could　not　detect　him？　I　began　to　live　my　life　as　if　every　move　I　made　were　watched。
　　　　　　　Horses　and　breeding　stock　were　not　all　that　was　taken　from　the　stables。　Burrich　told　me　one　morning　that　Hands　was　gone。　He　had　not　had　time　to　bid　anyone　good…bye。　〃They　took　the　last　of　the　good　stock　yesterday。　The　best　is　long　gone；　but　these　were　good　horses；　and　they　were　taking　them　overland　to　Tradeford。　Hands　was　simply　told　he　was　to　go　along。　He　came　to　me；　protesting；　but　I　told　him　to　go。　At　least　the　horses　will　have　well…trained　hands　taking　care　of　them　in　their　new　home。　Besides；　there　is　nothing　for　him　here。　There　is　no　stable　left　for　anyone　to　be　stablemaster　over。〃
　　　　　　　I　followed　him　silently　on　what　had　once　been　our　morning　rounds。　The　mews　held　only　ancient　or　injured　birds。　The　clamor　of　dogs　had　been　reduced　to　a　sparse　baying　and　a　few　yips。　The　horses　that　remained　were　the　unsound；　the　almost　promising；　the　past　their　prime；　the　injured　that　had　been　kept　in　the　hopes　of　breeding　something　from　them。　When　I　came　to　Sooty's　empty　stall；　my　heart　stood　sti