rh.royalassassin-第135节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　　　　　　　He　looked　into　the　flames。　〃It's　a　hard　thing　to　say；　after　she　has　shown　herself　so　true。　But　she　is　foreign…born；　and　in　some　ways　untried。　It　is　not　that　we　doubt　her；　we　do　not。　Nor　would　we　be　setting　her　aside。　Queen　she　is；　and　would　remain；　and　her　child　to　reign　after　her。　But　in　these　times；　we　need　both　king…in…waiting　and　queen。〃
　　　　　　　A　question　bubbled　in　me。　A　demon　wanted　me　to　ask；　〃And　if；　when　the　child　es　of　age；　I　do　not　wish　to　relinquish　power；　what　then？〃　They　had　to　have　asked　themselves；　they　had　to　have　agreed　on　some　answer　to　have　ready　for　me。　For　a　moment　longer　I　sat　still　and　silent。　Almost　I　could　feel　the　eddies　of　possibility　swirling　about　me；　was　this　what　the　Fool　was　always　prattling　about；　was　this　one　of　his　misty　crossroads　where　I　always　stood　in　the　center？　〃Catalyst；〃　I　taunted　myself　quietly。
　　　　　　　〃Beg　pardon？〃　Brawndy　leaned　closer　to　me。
　　　　　　　〃Chivalry；〃　I　said。　〃As　you　have　said；　I　bear　his　name。　Almost。　Duke　Bearns。　You　are　a　man　hard…pressed。　I　know　what　you　have　risked　in　speaking　to　me；　and　I　will　be　as　blunt　with　you。　I　am　a　man　with　ambitions。　But　I　do　not　desire　the　crown　of　my　king。〃　I　took　a　breath　and　looked　into　the　fire。　For　the　first　time　I　really　considered　what　it　would　do　to　Bearns；　Rippon；　and　Shoaks　for　both　Shrewd　and　Kettricken　suddenly　to　disappear。　The　Coastal　Duchies　would　bee　like　a　rudderless　ship　with　decks　awash。　Brawndy　had　as　much　as　said　they　would　not　follow　Regal。　Yet　I　had　nothing　else　I　could　offer　them　at　this　time。　To　whisper　to　him　that　Verity　lived　would　demand　that　they　rise　tomorrow；　to　deny　Regal's　right　to　declare　himself　king…in…waiting。　To　warn　them　that　both　Shrewd　and　Kettricken　would　suddenly　vanish　would　be　no　assurance　at　all　to　them；　but　would　certainly　mean　that　too　many　folk　would　not　be　surprised　when　it　happened。　Once　they　were　safely　in　the　Mountain　Kingdom；　then；　perhaps；　the　Coastal　Dukes　could　be　told　all。　But　that　could　be　weeks　away。　I　tried　to　think　what　I　could　offer　him　now；　what　assurances；　what　hopes。
　　　　　　　〃For　what　it　is　worth；　I；　as　a　man；　am　with　you。〃　I　said　the　words　carefully；　wondering　if　I　spoke　treason。　〃To　King　Shrewd　I　am　pledged。　To　Queen　Kettricken；　and　the　heir　she　carries；　I　am　loyal。　I　foresee　dark　days　ahead　of　us；　and　the　Coastal　Duchies　must　act　as　one　against　the　Raiders。　We　have　no　time　to　worry　what　Prince　Regal　does　inland。　Let　him　go　to　Tradeford。　Our　lives　are　here；　and　here　we　must　stand　and　fight。〃
　　　　　　　With　my　own　words；　I　felt　a　sea　change　in　me。　Like　the　shedding　of　a　cloak；　or　an　insect　crawling　from　its　cocoon；　I　felt　myself　emerge。　Regal　was　leaving　me　here　at　Buckkeep；　abandoning　me　as　he　thought；　to　hardship　and　danger；　along　with　those　I　most　cared　about。　Well　let　him。　With　the　King　and　Queen　Kettricken　safely　stashed　in　the　Mountains；　I　would　no　longer　fear　Regal。　Molly　was　gone；　lost　to　me。　What　had　Burrich　said；　a　time　ago？　That　I　might　not　see　her；　but　perhaps　she　might　see　me。　Let　her　see；　then；　that　I　could　act；　that　one　man　standing　could　make　a　difference。　Patience　and　Lacey　would　be　safer　in　my　keeping　than　inland　as　Regal's　hostages。　My　mind　was　racing。　Could　I　make　Buckkeep　my　own；　and　hold　it　for　Verity　until　he　returned？　Who　would　follow　me？　Burrich　would　be　gone。　I　could　not　count　on　using　his　influence。　But　those　swilling　inland　soldiers　would　be　gone　as　well。　What　would　be　left　would　be　Buckkeep　warriors；　with　a　vested　interest　in　keeping　this　cold　rock　of　a　castle　from　falling。　Some　had　watched　me　grow　up；　some　had　learned　how　to　spar　and　swing　a　sword　at　the　same　time　I　had。　Kettricken's　guard　I　knew；　and　the　old　soldiers　who　still　wore　the　colors　of　King　Shrewd's　guard　knew　me。　I　had　belonged　to　them　before　I　had　belonged　to　King　Shrewd。　Would　they　remember　that？
　　　　　　　Despite　the　warmth　of　the　fire；　a　shiver　went　up　me；　and　if　I　had　been　a　wolf；　my　hackles　would　have　stood　on　end。　The　spark　in　me　quickened。　〃I　am　no　king。　I　am　no　prince。　I　am　but　a　bastard；　but　one　who　loves　Buck。　I　want　no　bloodshed　with　Regal；　no　confrontation。　We　have　no　time　to　waste；　and　I　have　no　heart　for　the　killing　of　Six　Duchies　folk。　Let　Regal　flee　inland。　When　he　and　the　dogs　that　sniff　after　him　are　gone；　I　am　yours。　And　as　much　of　Buck　as　I　can　rally　to　follow　me。〃
　　　　　　　The　words　were　spoken；　the　mitment　made。　Treason；　traitor；　whispered　a　small　voice　inside　me。　But　in　my　heart　I　knew　the　rightness　of　what　I　did。　Chade　might　not　see　it　my　way。　But　I　felt　in　that　moment　that　the　only　way　to　declare　myself　for　Shrewd　and　Verity　and　Kettricken's　child　was　to　declare　myself　with　those　who　would　not　follow　Regal。　Yet　I　wanted　to　be　sure　they　understood　that　loyalty　clearly。　I　looked　deep　into　Brawndy's　weary　eyes。　〃This　is　my　goal；　Duke　Brawndy　of　Bearns。　I　speak　it　plainly；　and　I　will　back　no　other。　I　will　see　a　united　Six　Duchies；　with　her　coastline　freed　of　Raiders；　place　a　crown　upon　the　head　of　Kettricken's　and　Verity's　child。　I　must　hear　you　say　that　you　share　that　goal。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　swear　that　I　do；　FitzChivalry；　son　of　Chivalry。〃　To　my　horror；　the　war…scarred　old　man　took　my　hands　in　his　and　placed　them　on　his　forehead　in　the　ancient　sign　of　one　who　gives　fealty。　It　was　all　I　could　do　not　to　snatch　them　away。　Loyalty　to　Verity；　I　told　myself。　This　is　how　I　have　begun　this；　and　I　must　see　that　this　is　how　I　go　on。
　　　　　　　〃I　will　speak　to　the　others；〃　Brawndy　was　going　on　quietly。　〃I　will　tell　them　that　this　is　how　you　wish　it。　In　truth；　we　have　no　wish　for　bloodshed。　It　is　as　you　say。　Let　the　whelp　run　inland　with　his　tail　between　his　legs。　Here　is　where　the　wolves　shall　stand　and　fight。〃
　　　　　　　My　scalp　prickled　at　his　choice　of　words。
　　　　　　　〃We　will　attend　his　ceremony。　We　will　even　stand　before　him；　and　swear　once　more　to　be　loyal　to　a　King　of　the　Farseer　line。　But　he　is　not　that　King。　Nor　ever　shall　be。　I　understand　he　departs　the　very　day　after　the　ceremony。　We　shall　let　him　go；　though　by　tradition　a　new　King…in…Waiting　is　bound　to　stand　before　his　dukes　and　hear　their　counsels。　It　may　be　that　we　shall　linger　close；　a　day　or　so　longer；　after　Regal　has　departed。　Buckkeep　at　least　shall　be　yours；　ere　we　depart。　We　shall　see　to　that。　And　there　will　be　much　to　discuss。　The　placement　of　our　ships。　There　are　other　ships；　half…finished　in　the　boat　sheds；　are　there　not？〃
　　　　　　　At　my　short　nod；　Brawndy　grinned　in　wolfish　satisfaction。　〃We　shall　see　them　launched；　you　and　I。　Regal　has　plundered　Buckkeep　of　supplies；　this　is　known　to　all。　We　will　have　to　look　into　replenishing　your　warehouses。　The　farmers　and　shepherds　of　Buck　will　have　to　understand　that　they　must　find　more；　must　give　of　what　they　held　back；　if　their　soldiers　are　to　keep　their　coast　free。　It　will　be　a　hard　winter　for　all　of　us；　but　lean　wolves　fight　fiercest；　or　so　they　say。〃
　　　　　　　And　we　are　lean；　my　brother；　oh；　we　are　lean。
　　　　　　　A　terrible　foreboding　rose　in　me。　I　wondered　what　I　had　done。　I　would　have　to　find　a　way　to　speak　to　Kettricken　before　she　departed；　to　somehow　assure　her　I　had　not　turned　on　her。　And　I　must　Skill　to　Verity；　as　soon　as　I　possibly　could。　Would　he　understand？　He　must。　He　had　always　been　able　to　see　into　the　depths　of　my　heart。　Surely　he　would　see　what　my　intentions　were。　And　King　Shrewd？　Once；　long　ago；　when　he　had　first　bought　my　loyalty；　he　had　said　to　me；　〃If　ever　any　man　or　woman　seeks　to　turn　you　against　me　by　offering　you　more　than　I　do；　then　e　to　me；　and　tell　me　of　the　offer；　and　I　shall　meet　it。〃　Would　you　give　Buckkeep　into　my　hands；　old　King？　I　wondered。
　　　　　　　I　realized　that　Brawndy　had　fallen　silent。　〃Do　not　fear；　FitzChivalry；〃　he　said　quietly。　〃Do　not　doubt　the　rightness　of　what　we　do；　or　we　are　all　undone。　If　yours　was　not　the　hand　that　reached　forth　to　claim　Buckkeep；　another　would　have。　We　could　not　leave　Buck　with　no　one　at　the　helm。　Be　glad　it　is　yourself；　as　we　are。　Regal　has　gone　where　none　of　us　may　follow；　fled　inland　to　hide　beneath　his　mother's　bed。　We　must　stand　on　our　own。　All　the　omens　and　portents　point　us　that　way。　They　say　the　Pocked　Man　was　seen　drinking　blood　from　a　Buckkeep　well；　and　that　a　serpent　coiled　on　the　main　hearth　in　the　Great　Hall　and　dared　to　strike　at　a　child。　I　myself；　riding　south　to　be　here；　witnessed　a　young　eagle　bedeviled　by　crows。　But　just　as　I　thought　she　must　plunge　into　the　sea　to　avoid　them；　she　turned　and；　in　midair；　seized　a　crow　that　had　sought　to　dive　on　her　from　above。　She　clenched　him　and　dropped　him　bloody　to　the　water；　and　all　the　other　crows　fled　squawking　and　flapping。　These　are　signs；　FitzChivalry。　We'd　be　fools　to　ignore　them。〃
　　　　　　　Despite　my　skepticism　for　such　signs；　a　shiver　ran　up　me；　setting　the　hair　on　my　arms　upright。　Brawndy　glanced　away　from　me　to　the　inner　door　of　the　chamber。　I　followed　his　eyes。　Celerity　stood　there。　The　short　dark　hair　framed　her　proud　face　and　her　eyes　gleamed　fierce　blue。　〃Daughter；　you　have　chosen　well；〃　the　old　man　told　her。　〃I　wondered；　once；　what　you　saw　in　a　scriber。　Perhaps　now　I　see　it　as　well。〃
　　　　　　　He　beckoned　her　into　the　room；　and　she　came　in　a　rustle　of　skirts。　She　stood　by　her　father；　looking　boldly　at　me。　For　the　first　time　I　glimpsed　the　steel　will　that　hid　inside　the　shy　child。　It　was　unnerving。
　　　　　　　〃I　bade　you　wait；　and　you　have；〃　Duke