rh.royalassassin-第137节

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tting　not　only　that　Regal　would　turn　on　him；　but　that　flight　is　his　only　option。　Our　king　has　never　been　a　coward。　It　galls　him　now　to　run　from　one　who　should　be　most　loyal　of　all　to　him。　Yet　he　must。　Of　that　I　have　convinced　him；　mostly；　I'll　admit；　by　saying　that　without　his　acknowledgment；　Kettricken's　child　will　have　a　poor　claim　on　the　throne。〃　Chade　sighed。　〃All　is　as　ready　as　I　can　make　it。　I　have　prepared　the　medicines；　and　all　is　well　packed。〃
　　　　　　　〃The　Fool　understands　he　cannot　go　with　his　king？〃
　　　　　　　Chade　rubbed　his　forehead。　〃He　intends　to　follow；　a　few　days　behind。　He　would　not　be　dissuaded　entirely。　The　best　I　could　do　was　to　get　him　to　travel　separately。〃
　　　　　　　〃Then　it　but　depends　on　me　to　find　a　way　to　empty　the　King's　room　of　witnesses；　and　for　you　to　spirit　him　away。〃
　　　　　　　〃Ah；　yes；〃　Chade　observed　mirthlessly。　〃All　is　well　planned　and　ready　to　carry　out；　save　for　the　actual　deed。〃
　　　　　　　We　stared　together　into　the　fire。
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　CHAPTER　TWENTY…NINE
　　　　　　　Escapes　and　Captures
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　THE　OUTBREAK　OF　strife　between　the　coastal　and　Inland　Duchies　at　the　end　of　King　Shrewd's　reign　was　not　a　new　sundering；　but　rather　a　resumption　of　old　differences。　The　four　Coastal　Duchies；　Bearns；　Buck；　Rippon；　and　Shoaks；　were　a　kingdom　long　before　the　Six　Duchies　came　to　be。　When　the　unified　battle　tactics　of　the　Chalced　States　convinced　King　Wielder　that　their　conquest　would　be　unprofitable；　he　turned　his　ambitions　inland。　The　Farrow　region；　with　its　scattered　nomadic　tribal　populations；　fell　easily　to　the　organized　armies　he　led。　The　more　populous　and　settled　Tilth　grudgingly　surrendered　to　him　when　the　erstwhile　King　of　that　region　found　his　territory　surrounded　and　his　trade　routes　severed。
　　　　　　　Both　the　old　kingdom　of　Tilth　and　the　region　that　would　e　to　be　known　as　Farrow　were　held　as　conquered　territory　for　over　a　generation。　The　wealth　of　their　granaries；　orchards；　and　herds　were　exploited　lavishly　for　the　benefit　of　the　Coastal　Duchies。　Queen　Munificence；　granddaughter　of　Wielder；　was　wise　enough　to　see　that　this　was　breeding　discontent　in　the　inland　areas。　She　showed　great　tolerance　and　wisdom　in　elevating　the　tribal　elders　of　the　Farrow　folk　and　the　former　ruling　families　of　Tilth　to　nobles。　She　used　marriages　and　grants　of　land　to　forge　alliances　between　coastal　and　inland　folk。　She　first　referred　to　her　kingdom　as　the　Six　Duchies。　But　all　of　her　political　maneuvers　could　not　change　the　geographic　and　economic　interests　of　the　different　areas。　Climate；　folk；　and　livelihoods　of　the　Inland　Duchies　remained　vastly　different　from　that　of　the　coastal　peoples。
　　　　　　　During　Shrewd's　reign；　the　differing　interests　of　the　two　regions　were　exacerbated　by　the　offspring　of　his　two　queens。　His　elder　sons；　Verity　and　Chivalry；　were　the　sons　of　Queen　Constance；　a　noblewoman　of　Shoaks　with　relatives　among　the　nobility　of　Bearns　as　well。　She　was　very　much　of　the　coastal　folk。　Shrewd's　second　queen；　Desire；　was　from　Farrow；　but　traced　her　family　lineage　back　to　the　long　foundered　royalty　of　Tilth　as　well　as　to　distant　Farseer　connections。　Hence　came　her　oft…repeated　claim　that　her　son　Regal　was　more　royal　than　either　of　his　half　brothers；　and　hence　had　more　right　to　the　throne。
　　　　　　　With　the　disappearance　of　King…in…Waiting　Verity　and　rumors　of　his　death；　and　the　obvious　failing　of　King　Shrewd；　it　appeared　to　the　Coastal　Dukes　that　power　and　title　would　be　passed　on　to　Prince　Regal；　born　of　inland　lineage。　They　preferred　to　align　with　the　unborn　child　of　Verity；　a　coastal　Prince；　and　predictably　did　all　they　could　to　retain　and　consolidate　power　in　the　coastal　bloodlines。　Threatened　as　the　Coastal　Duchies　were　by　Raiders　and　Forgings；　it　was　really　the　only　rational　choice　they　could　make。
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　The　King…in…Waiting　ceremony　was　too　long。　Folk　were　assembled　well　ahead　of　time；　to　allow　Regal　to　make　a　stately　entrance　through　our　ranks　and　ascend　to　the　high　seat；　where　a　drowsing　King　Shrewd　awaited　him。　Queen　Kettricken；　pale　as　a　wax　taper；　stood　behind　Shrewd　at　his　left　shoulder。　Shrewd　was　bedecked　in　robes　and　fur　collars　and　the　full　regalia　of　the　royal　jewels；　but　Kettricken　had　resisted　Regal's　suggestions　and　enticements。　She　stood　very　tall　and　straight　in　a　plain　robe　of　purple；　belted　above　her　rounding　belly。　A　simple　circlet　of　gold　confined　the　cropped　remnants　of　her　hair。　Other　than　that　band　of　metal　at　her　temples；　she　might　have　been　a　servant　standing　ready　to　attend　Shrewd。　I　knew　she　saw　herself　still　as　Sacrifice　rather　than　queen。　She　could　not　see　that　the　starkness　of　her　attire　made　her　look　dramatically　foreign　to　the　court。
　　　　　　　The　Fool　was　there　as　well；　in　a　well…worn　motley　of　black　and　white；　and　with　Ratsy　once　more　atop　his　scepter。　He　had　striped　his　face　in　black　and　white　as　well；　and　I　wondered　if　this　was　to　camouflage　his　bruises；　or　simply　to　plement　his　motley。　He　had　appeared　sometime　before　Regal　had；　and　had　very　obviously　enjoyed　the　spectacle　he　created　by　sauntering　up　the　aisle；　waving　Ratsy　about　in　airy　benediction；　before　he　curtsied　to　the　assemblage　and　then　plopped　gracefully　at　the　King's　feet。　Guards　had　begun　to　move　to　intercept　him；　but　were　blocked　by　grinning；　craning　people。　When　he　arrived　at　the　dais　and　seated　himself；　the　King　had　reached　down　to　absently　tousle　the　Fool's　sparse　locks；　and　so　he　had　been　suffered　to　remain　where　he　was。　Scowls　or　grins　were　exchanged　over　the　Fool's　performance；　depending　largely　on　how　deeply　one　had　pledged　his　allegiance　to　Regal。　I　myself　feared　that　it　would　be　the　Fool's　last　prank。
　　　　　　　The　atmosphere　in　the　Keep　all　day　had　been　like　to　that　of　a　seething　pot。　My　trust　that　Bearns　was　a　tight…lipped　man　had　been　misplaced。　Entirely　too　many　minor　nobles　were　suddenly　nodding　to　me；　or　catching　my　eye　for　an　exchanged　look。　I　feared　it　could　not　be　missed　by　any　of　Regal's　minions；　and　so　had　kept　myself　to　my　room　or；　for　a　good　part　of　the　early　afternoon；　in　Verity's　tower；　where　I　had　vainly　attempted　to　Skill　forth　to　him。　I　had　chosen　that　spot　in　the　hopes　of　invoking　his　memory　cleanly　to　my　mind；　but　I　failed。　Instead　I　found　myself　straining　for　a　hint　of　Will's　footstep　on　the　tower　stairs；　or　a　brush　of　Justin's　or　Serene's　presence　against　my　Skill　sense。
　　　　　　　After　I　gave　up　on　Skilling；　I　sat　long；　pondering　the　unsolvable　riddle　of　how　I　would　empty　the　King's　room　of　guards。　Outside；　I　could　hear　the　pounding　of　the　sea　and　the　wind；　and　when　I　opened　the　windows　briefly　the　gusting　storm　fair　blew　me　across　the　room。　Most　saw　this　as　a　fair　day　for　the　ceremony；　the　rising　storm　might　keep　Raiders　berthed　wherever　they　were　at　present　and　assure　us　no　new　raids。　I　watched　the　freezing　rain　putting　a　crust　on　the　banked　snow　while　making　the　roads　treacherously　slick；　and　imagined　Burrich　traveling　through　it　by　night　with　the　Queen　and　King　Shrewd　in　his　litter。　It　was　not　a　task　I　would　enjoy。
　　　　　　　The　tone　for　something　of　great　portent　to　happen　had　been　well　set。　Now；　in　addition　to　stories　of　the　Pocked　Man　and　snakes　on　the　hearth；　there　was　despair　in　the　kitchens。　The　day's　bake　of　bread　had　failed　to　rise；　and　the　milk　had　curdled　in　the　casks　before　even　the　cream　could　be　skimmed　from　it。　Poor　Cook　Sara　had　been　shaken　to　her　core　and　declared　that　never　before　had　such　a　thing　dared　to　happen　in　her　kitchens。　The　pig　men　would　not　even　let　the　soured　milk　be　given　to　the　swine；　so　sure　were　all　that　it　was　cursed。　The　failure　of　the　bread　had　meant　twice　the　catch…up　work　for　the　kitchen　servants；　who　were　already　overburdened　with　feeding　all　the　guests　who　had　e　for　the　ceremony。　I　could　now　vouch　that　the　tempers　of　an　entire　Keep　could　be　disturbed　by　an　unhappy　kitchen　crew。
　　　　　　　There　had　been　short　rations　for　the　watch　room；　and　the　stew　had　been　overly　salted；　while　somehow　the　beer　had　gone　flat。　The　Duke　of　Tilth　plained　of　vinegar　instead　of　wine　in　his　rooms；　which　led　the　Duke　of　Bearns　to　ment　to　those　of　Shoaks　and　Rippon　that　even　a　bit　of　vinegar　would　have　been　wele　as　a　sign　of　hospitality　in　their　rooms。　The　unfortunate　remark　was　conveyed　somehow　to　Mistress　Hasty；　who　soundly　scolded　all　the　chamberlains　and　serving　folk　who　had　not　somehow　managed　to　spread　the　thin　cheer　left　at　Buckkeep　to　include　the　lesser　guest　rooms。　There　was　a　plaint　among　the　lesser　servants　that　an　order　had　e　down　to　keep　expenses　for　those　guests　to　a　minimum；　but　no　one　could　be　found　who　would　admit　to　giving　such　an　order；　or　even　to　passing　it　down。　And　so　the　day　had　gone；　so　that　I　had　been　altogether　relieved　to　isolate　myself　in　Verity's　tower。
　　　　　　　But　I　dared　not　miss　the　King…in…Waiting　ceremony；　for　too　much　would　have　been　inferred　from　that。　And　so　I　stood；　an　unfortable　victim　of　a　shirt　with　overfull　sleeves　and　some　very　itchy　leggings；　patiently　awaiting　Regal's　entrance。　My　mind　was　not　on　his　pomp　and　ceremony；　rather　it　whirled　with　questions　and　worries　of　my　own。　I　fretted　over　whether　Burrich　had　been　able　to　smuggle　out　the　horses　and　litter。　It　was　dark　now。　He　was　probably　sitting　outside　in　this　storm；　in　the　pathetic　shelter　of　the　alder　copse。　He　would　have　blanketed　the　horses；　no　doubt；　but　that　w