rh.royalassassin-第143节

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would　leave　only　one　on　watch。　Then　we　had　to　watch　for　him　to　leave…oh。　Lacey　said　to　bring　you　these。　She　is　wise；　that　one。〃　Her　hand　went　away；　and　then　came　back；　to　fumble　one；　and　then　two　small　apples　through　the　bars。　They　hit　the　floor　before　I　could　catch　them。　I　resisted　the　urge　to　pounce　on　them　immediately：
　　　　　　　〃What　do　they　say　of　me？〃　I　asked　quietly。
　　　　　　　She　was　silent　a　moment。　〃Mostly；　folk　say　that　you　are　crazy。　Some；　that　you　were　witched　by　the　Pocked　Man　to　bring　death　amongst　us　that　night。　There　is　some　gossip　that　you　had　planned　to　lead　a　rebellion；　and　killed　Serene　and　Justin　because　they　found　out　about　it。　Others；　not　many；　agree　with　Regal；　saying　you　have　the　Beast　magic。　Wallace；　mostly；　says　such　things。　He　declares　the　candles　did　not　burn　blue　in　the　King's　chamber　until　you　entered　it。　And　he　says　the　Fool　was　shouting　that　you　had　killed　the　King。　But　the　Fool　is　gone；　too。　There　have　been　so　many　omens　of　evil；　and　so　many　fear　now　。。。。〃　Her　voice　dwindled　away。
　　　　　　　〃I　did　not　kill　the　King；〃　I　said　quietly。　〃Justin　and　Serene　did。　That　was　why　I　killed　them；　with　the　King's　own　knife。〃
　　　　　　　〃The　guards　are　ing　back！〃　A　hiss　from　Lacey。　Patience　ignored　it。
　　　　　　　〃But　Justin　and　Serene　weren't　even…〃
　　　　　　　〃I　don't　have　time　to　explain。　It　was　done　with　Skill。　But　they　did；　Patience。　I　swear　it。〃　I　paused。　〃What　do　they　plan　to　do　with　me？〃
　　　　　　　〃It　isn't　decided；　really。〃
　　　　　　　〃We've　no　time　for　polite　lies。〃
　　　　　　　I　actually　heard　her　swallow。　〃Regal　wants　to　hang　you。　He'd　have　had　you　killed　right　there　that　night；　in　the　Great　Hall；　save　that　Blade　held　off　his　guards　until　the　riot　was　quelled。　Then　the　Coastal　Dukes　stood　up　for　you。　Lady　Grace　of　Rippon　reminded　Regal　that　no　carrier　of　the　Farseer　blood　can　be　put　to　death　by　sword　or　hanging。　He　did　not　wish　to　concede　you　were　of　royal　blood；　but　too　many　raised　a　shout　when　he　denied　it。　Now　he　swears　he　can　show　you　have　the　Wit；　and　hanging　is　what　must　be　done　for　one　that　uses　Beast　magic。〃
　　　　　　　〃Lady　Patience！　You　must　leave　now；　you　must；　or　I'm　not　the　one　that　will　be　hanging！〃　The　guard　was　back；　with　Chester　evidently；　for　there　was　more　than　one　set　of　footsteps。　They　were　hurrying　down　to　the　cell。　Patience　let　go　of　my　fingers。
　　　　　　　〃I　will　do　what　I　can　for　you；〃　she　whispered。　She　had　tried　so　hard　not　to　let　any　fear　e　into　her　voice；　but　now　it　broke　on　those　words。
　　　　　　　And　then　she　was　gone；　scolding　at　the　guard　like　a　jaybird　all　the　way　as　Chester　or　whoever　escorted　her　from　the　cells。　The　moment　she　was　gone；　I　laboriously　stooped　down　to　gather　up　my　apples。　They　were　not　large；　and　they　were　withered　from　being　winter…stored；　but　I　found　them　delicious。　I　ate　even　the　stems。　The　little　moisture　they　contained　did　nothing　to　quench　my　thirst。　I　sat　on　my　bench　for　a　bit；　holding　my　head　in　my　hands；　forcing　myself　to　stay　alert。　I　knew　I　had　to　think；　but　it　was　terribly　hard。　My　mind　would　not　focus。　I　was　tempted　to　pick　my　shirt　free　of　the　cuts　on　my　arm；　but　forced　myself　to　leave　it　alone。　As　long　as　they　were　not　festering；　I　would　not　bother　them。　I　could　not　afford　to　bleed。　It　took　all　my　strength　to　hobble　back　to　my　door。　〃Guards！〃　I　croaked。
　　　　　　　They　ignored　me。
　　　　　　　〃I　want　water。　And　food。〃
　　　　　　　Where　are　you？　Another　answered　my　request。
　　　　　　　Beyond　your　reach；　my　friend。　How　are　you？
　　　　　　　Fine。　But　I　have　missed　you。　You　slept　so　deep；　almost　I　thought　you　dead。
　　　　　　　Almost　I　thought　myself　dead。　That　night。　Did　you　guide　them　to　the　horses？
　　　　　　　I　did。　And　they　left。　Heart　of　the　Pack　told　them　I　was　a　half…breed　you　had　tamed。　Like　I　was　a　cur；　doing　tricks。
　　　　　　　He　sought　to　protect　me；　not　to　insult　you。　Why　did　not　Heart　of　the　Pack　go　with　them？
　　　　　　　I　do　not　know。　What　shall　we　do　now？
　　　　　　　Wait。
　　　　　　　〃Guards！〃　I　called　again；　as　loudly　as　I　was　able。　It　wasn't　very　loud。
　　　　　　　〃Get　back　from　the　door。〃　The　man's　voice　was　right　outside　my　cell。　I　had　been　so　occupied　with　Nighteyes　I　had　not　heard　him　approach。　I　was　not　myself　at　all。
　　　　　　　A　small　panel　at　the　bottom　of　the　door　slid　open。　A　pot　of　water　and　a　half　a　loaf　were　set　inside。　The　panel　closed　again。
　　　　　　　〃Thank　you。〃
　　　　　　　There　was　no　reply。　I　picked　them　up；　examined　both　carefully。　The　water　smelled　as　if　it　had　been　standing　for　some　time；　but　neither　smell　nor　a　cautious　sip　revealed　any　trace　of　poison。　I　broke　the　loaf　into　smaller　pieces；　looking　for　flecks　in　the　dough　or　any　discoloration。　It　was　not　fresh；　but　it　was　not　poisoned　in　any　way　I　could　detect。　And　someone　had　eaten　the　other　half　of　it。　In　a　very　short　time　they　were　gone。　I　went　and　lay　on　my　stone　bench　again；　and　tried　to　find　the　least　unfortable　position。
　　　　　　　The　cell　was　dry；　but　cold；　in　the　way　that　any　unused　chamber　in　Buckkeep　was　cold　during　the　winter。　I　knew　exactly　where　I　was。　The　cells　were　not　far　from　the　wine　cellars。　I　knew　I　could　scream　my　lungs　bloody　and　no　one　but　my　guards　would　hear。　I　had　explored　down　here　as　a　boy。　I　had　seldom　found　occupants　in　the　cells；　and　even　more　rarely　guards　upon　them。　The　swiftness　of　justice　at　Buckkeep　meant　there　was　seldom　a　reason　to　hold　a　prisoner　for　more　than　a　few　hours。　Transgressions　of　the　law　usually　demanded　you　pay　with　your　life；　or　with　the　work　of　your　hands。　I　suspected　these　cells　would　see　a　deal　more　use；　now　that　Regal　claimed　to　be　king。
　　　　　　　I　tried　to　sleep；　but　insensibility　had　deserted　me。　Instead；　I　shifted　about　on　the　cold　hard　stone　and　thought。　I　tried　for　a　while　to　convince　myself　that　if　the　Queen　had　gotten　away；　I　had　won。　After　all；　winning　was　getting　what　you　wanted；　wasn't　it？　Instead；　I　found　myself　thinking　of　how　quickly　King　Shrewd　had　gone。　Like　a　bubble　popping。　If　they　hanged　me；　would　it　be　that　swift　for　me？　Or　would　I　strangle　and　dangle　a　long　time？　To　divert　myself　from　those　pleasant　thoughts；　I　wondered　how　long　a　civil　war　Verity　would　have　to　fight　with　Regal　before　he　could　put　the　Six　Duchies　on　a　map　once　more　as　the　Six　Duchies。　Assuming；　of　course；　that　Verity　returned　and　was　able　to　rid　the　coast　of　Red…Ships。　When　Regal　abandoned　Buckkeep；　as　I　was　sure　he　would；　I　wondered　who　would　step　forward　to　take　it。　Patience　had　said　the　Coastal　Dukes　wanted　nothing　of　Lord　Bright。　Buck　had　a　few　lesser　nobles；　but　none　of　them　so　bold　as　to　claim　Buckkeep；　I　thought。　Perhaps　one　of　the　three　Coastal　Dukes　would　reach　out　a　hand　and　claim　it。　No。　None　of　them　had　the　might　right　now　to　care　for　anything　beyond　their　own　borders。　It　would　be　each　for　his　own　now。　Unless　Regal　stayed　at　Buckkeep。　With　the　Queen　missing　and　Shrewd　dead；　he　was；　after　all；　the　rightful　King。　Unless　one　knew　that　Verity　was　alive。　But　few　did。　Would　the　Coastal　Duchies　accept　Regal　as　king　now？　Would　the　Coastal　Duchies　accept　Verity　as　their　king　when　he　returned？　Or　would　they　scorn　the　man　who　had　left　them　for　a　foolish　quest？
　　　　　　　Time　passed　slowly　in　that　unchanging　place。　I　was　not　given　food　nor　water　unless　I　asked　for　them；　and　sometimes　not　then；　so　meals　were　no　measure　of　the　day。　Awake；　I　was　a　prisoner　of　my　thoughts　and　worries。　Once　I　tried　to　Skill　to　Verity；　but　the　effort　brought　on　a　darkening　of　my　vision　and　a　long　period　of　pounding　headache。　I　had　not　the　strength　for　a　second　effort。　Hunger　became　a　constant；　as　unrelenting　as　the　cold　of　the　cell。　I　heard　the　guards　twice　turn　Patience　away；　heard　them　refuse　to　give　me　the　food　and　bandages　she　had　brought。　I　did　not　call　to　her。　I　wanted　her　to　give　up；　to　disassociate　herself　from　me。　My　only　respite　came　when　I　slept　and　dream…hunted　with　Nighteyes。　I　tried　to　use　his　senses　to　explore　what　went　on　at　Buckkeep；　but　he　attached　only　a　wolf's　importance　to　things；　and　when　I　was　with　him；　I　shared　his　values。　Time　was　not　divided　by　days　and　nights；　but　from　kill　to　kill。　The　meat　I　devoured　with　him　could　not　sustain　my　human　body；　and　yet　there　was　satisfaction　in　the　gorging。　With　his　senses　I　found　the　weather　changing；　and　awoke　one　morning　knowing　that　a　clear　winter　day　had　dawned。　Raider　weather。　The　Coastal　Dukes　could　not　linger　much　longer　in　Buckkeep；　if　they　had　lingered　at　all。
　　　　　　　As　if　to　bear　me　out；　there　were　voices　at　the　guard　station　and　the　rasp　of　boots　against　the　stone　floor。　I　heard　Regal's　voice；　strained　with　anger；　and　the　guard's　conciliatory　greeting；　and　then　they　came　down　the　corridor。　For　the　first　time　since　I　had　awakened　there；　I　heard　a　key　in　the　lock　of　my　cell；　and　the　door　was　swung　open。　I　sat　up　slowly。　Three　Dukes　and　a　traitor　Prince　peered　in　at　me。　I　managed　to　e　to　my　feet。　Behind　my　lords　stood　a　row　of　soldiers　armed　with　pikes；　as　if　ready　to　hold　a　maddened　beast　at　bay。　A　guard　with　a　drawn　sword　stood　beside　the　open　door；　between　Regal　and　me。　He　did　not　underestimate　my　hatred。
　　　　　　　〃You　see　him；〃　Regal　declared　flatly。　〃He　is　alive　and　well。　I　have　not　done　away　with　him。　But　know　also　that　I　have　the　right　to。　He　killed　a　man；　my　servant；　right　in　my　hall。　And　a　woman　upstairs　in　her　chamber。　I　have　a　right　to　his　life；　for　those　crimes　alone。〃
　　　　　　　〃King…in…Waiting　Regal。　You　charge　FitzChivalry　killed　King　Shrewd　u