rh.royalassassin-第28节

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on　that　at　one　time　bastards　were　drowned　at　birth。　The　old　ways　of　El　demanded　it；　she　said。　I　could　have　ignored　the　remark；　had　she　not　leaned　across　the　table　to　smilingly　ask　me；　〃Have　you　never　heard　of　that　custom；　bastard？〃
　　　　　　　I　looked　up　to　Duke　Brawndy's　seat　at　the　head　of　the　table；　but　he　was　engaged　in　a　lively　discussion　with　his　eldest　daughter。　He　didn't　even　glance　my　way。　〃I　believe　it　is　as　old　as　the　custom　of　one　guest's　courtesy　to　another　at　their　host's　table；〃　I　replied。　I　tried　to　keep　my　eyes　and　voice　steady。　Bait。　Brawndy　had　seated　me　across　the　table　from　her　as　bait。　Never　before　had　I　been　so　blatantly　used。　I　steeled　myself　to　it；　tried　to　set　personal　feelings　aside。　At　least　I　was　ready。
　　　　　　　〃Some　would　say　it　was　a　sign　of　the　degeneracy　of　the　Farseer　line；　that　your　father　came　unchaste　to　his　wedding　bed。　I；　of　course；　would　not　speak　against　my　king's　family。　But　tell　me。　How　did　your　mother's　people　accept　her　whoredom？〃
　　　　　　　I　smiled　pleasantly。　I　suddenly　had　fewer　qualms　about　my　task。　〃I　do　not　recall　much　of　my　mother　or　her　kin；〃　I　offered　conversationally。　〃But　I　imagine　they　believed　as　I　do。　Better　to　be　a　whore；　or　the　child　of　a　whore；　than　a　traitor　to　one's　king。〃
　　　　　　　I　lifted　my　wineglass　and　turned　my　eyes　back　to　Celerity。　Her　dark　blue　eyes　widened　and　she　gasped　as　Virago's　belt　knife　plunged　into　Brawndy's　table　but　inches　from　my　elbow。　I　had　expected　it　and　did　not　flinch。　Instead；　I　turned　to　meet　her　eyes。　Virago　stood　in　her　table　place；　eyes　blazing　and　nostrils　flared。　Her　heightened　color　enflamed　her　beauty。
　　　　　　　I　spoke　mildly。　〃Tell　me。　You　teach　the　old　ways；　do　you　not？　Do　you　not　then　hold　to　the　one　that　forbids　the　shedding　of　blood　in　a　house　where　you　are　a　guest？〃
　　　　　　　〃Are　you　not　unbloodied？〃　she　asked　by　way　of　reply。
　　　　　　　〃As　are　you。　I　would　not　shame　my　duke's　table　by　letting　it　be　said　that　he　had　allowed　guests　to　kill　one　another　over　his　bread。　Or　do　you　care　as　little　for　your　courtesy　to　your　duke　as　you　do　your　loyalty　to　your　king？〃
　　　　　　　〃I　have　sworn　no　loyalty　to　your　soft　Farseer　king；〃　she　hissed。
　　　　　　　Folk　shifted；　some　unfortably；　some　for　a　better　vantage。　So　some　had　e　to　witness　her　challenge　me；　at　Brawndy's　table。　All　of　this　had　been　as　carefully　planned　as　any　battle　campaign。　Would　she　know　how　well　I　had　planned　also？　Did　she　suspect　the　tiny　package　in　my　cuff？　I　spoke　boldly；　pitching　my　voice　to　carry。　〃I　have　heard　of　you。　I　think　that　those　you　tempt　to　follow　you　into　treachery　would　be　wiser　to　go　to　Buckkeep。　King…in…Waiting　Verity　has　issued　a　call　for　those　skilled　in　arms　to　e　and　man　his　new　warships　and　bear　those　arms　against　the　Outislanders；　who　are　enemy　to　us　all。　That；　I　think；　would　be　a　better　measure　of　a　warrior's　skill。　Is　not　that　more　honorable　a　pursuit　than　to　turn　against　leaders　one　has　sworn　to；　or　to　waste　bull's　blood　down　a　cliffside　by　moonlight；　when　the　same　meat　might　go　to　feed　our　kin　despoiled　by　Red…Ships？〃
　　　　　　　I　spoke　passionately；　and　my　voice　grew　in　volume　as　she　stared　at　how　much　I　knew。　I　found　myself　caught　up　in　my　own　words；　for　I　believed　them。　I　leaned　across　the　table；　over　Virago's　plate　and　cup；　to　thrust　my　face　close　to　hers　as　I　asked；　〃Tell　me；　brave　one。　Have　you　ever　lifted　arms　against　one　who　was　not　your　own　countryman？　Against　a　Red…Ship　crew？　I　thought　not。　Far　easier　to　insult　a　host's　hospitality；　or　maim　a　neighbor's　son；　than　to　kill　one　who　came　to　kill　our　own。〃
　　　　　　　Words　were　not　Virago's　best　weapon。　Enraged；　she　spat　at　me。
　　　　　　　I　leaned　back；　calmly；　to　wipe　my　face　clean。　〃Perhaps　you　would　care　to　challenge　me；　in　a　more　appropriate　time　and　place。　Perhaps　a　week　hence；　on　the　cliffs　where　you　so　boldly　slew　the　cow's　husband？　Perhaps　I；　a　scribe；　might　present　you　more　of　a　challenge　than　your　bovine　warrior　did？〃
　　　　　　　Duke　Brawndy　suddenly　deigned　to　notice　the　disturbance。　〃FitzChivalry！　Virago！〃　he　rebuked　us。　But　our　gazes　remained　locked；　my　hands　planted　to　either　side　of　her　place　setting　as　I　leaned　to　confront　her。
　　　　　　　I　think　the　man　beside　her　might　have　challenged　me　also；　had　not　Duke　Brawndy　then　slammed　his　salt　bowl　against　the　table；　near　shattering　it；　and　reminded　us　forcefully　that　this　was　his　table　and　his　hall　and　he'd　have　no　blood　shed　in　it。　He；　at　least；　was　capable　of　honoring　both　King　Shrewd　and　the　old　ways　at　once；　and　suggested　we　attempt　to　do　the　same。　I　apologized　most　humbly　and　eloquently；　and　Virago　muttered　her　〃sorrys。〃　The　meal　resumed；　and　the　minstrels　sang；　and　over　the　next　few　days　I　copied　the　scroll　for　Verity　and　viewed　the　Elderling　relic；　which　looked　like　nothing　to　me　so　much　as　a　glass　vial　of　very　fine　fish　scales。　Celerity　seemed　more　impressed　with　me　than　I　was　fortable　with。　The　other　side　of　that　coin　was　facing　the　cold　animosity　in　the　faces　of　those　who　sided　with　Virago。　It　was　a　long　week。
　　　　　　　I　never　had　to　fight　my　challenge；　for　before　the　week　was　out；　Virago's　tongue　and　mouth　had　broken　out　in　the　boils　and　sores　that　were　the　legendary　punishment　for　one　who　lied　to　arms　panions　and　betrayed　spoken　vows。　She　scarce　was　able　to　drink；　let　alone　eat；　and　so　disfiguring　was　her　affliction　that　all　those　close　to　her　forsook　her　pany　for　fear　it　spread　to　them　as　well。　Her　pain　was　such　that　she　could　not　go　forth　into　the　cold　to　fight；　and　there　was　no　one　willing　to　stand　her　challenge　for　her。　I　waited　on　the　cliffs；　for　a　challenger　who　never　came。　Celerity　waited　with　me；　as　did　perhaps　a　score　of　minor　nobles　that　Duke　Brawndy　had　urged　to　attend　me。　We　made　casual　talk；　and　drank　entirely　too　much　brandy　to　keep　ourselves　warm。　As　evening　fell；　a　messenger　from　the　keep　came　to　tell　us　that　Virago　had　left　Ripplekeep；　but　not　to　face　her　challenger。　She　had　ridden　away；　inland。　Alone。　Celerity　clasped　her　hands　together；　and　then　astonished　me　with　a　hug。　We　returned　chilled　but　merry　to　enjoy　one　more　meal　at　Ripplekeep　before　my　departure　for　Buckkeep。　Brawndy　sat　me　at　his　left　hand；　and　Celerity　beside　me。
　　　　　　　〃You　know；〃　he　observed　to　me；　toward　the　end　of　the　meal。　〃Your　likeness　to　your　father　bees　more　remarkable　every　year。〃
　　　　　　　All　of　the　brandy　in　Bearns　could　not　have　defeated　the　chill　his　words　sent　through　me。
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　CHAPTER　SIX
　　　　　　　Forged　Ones
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　THE　TWO　SONS　of　Queen　Constance　and　King　Shrewd　Were　Chivalry　and　Verity。　Only　two　years　separated　their　births；　and　they　grew　up　as　close　as　two　brothers　can　be。　Chivalry　was　the　eldest；　and　the　first　to　assume　the　title　King…in…Waiting　on　his　sixteenth　birthday。　He　was　almost　immediately　dispatched　by　his　father　to　deal　with　a　border　dispute　with　the　Chalced　States。　From　that　time　on；　he　was　seldom　at　Buckkeep　for　more　than　a　few　months　at　a　time。　Even　after　Chivalry　had　married；　he　was　seldom　allowed　to　spend　his　days　at　rest。　It　was　not　so　much　that　there　were　so　many　border　uprisings　at　that　time　as　that　Shrewd　seemed　intent　on　formalizing　his　boundaries　with　all　his　neighbors。　Many　of　these　disputes　were　settled　with　the　sword；　though　as　time　went　on；　Chivalry　became　more　astute　at　employing　diplomacy　first。
　　　　　　　Some　said　that　assigning　Chivalry　to　this　task　was　the　plot　of　his　stepmother；　Queen　Desire；　who　hoped　to　send　him　to　his　death。　Others　say　it　was　Shrewd's　way　of　putting　his　eldest　son　out　of　his　new　queen's　sight　and　authority。　Prince　Verity；　condemned　by　his　youth　to　remain　at　home；　made　formal　application　to　his　father　every　month　to　be　allowed　to　follow　his　brother。　All　of　Shrewd's　efforts　to　interest　him　in　responsibilities　of　his　own　were　wasted。　Prince　Verity　performed　the　tasks　given　him；　but　never　let　anyone　think　for　a　moment　that　he　would　not　rather　be　with　his　older　brother。　At　last；　on　Verity's　twentieth　birthday；　after　six　years　of　requesting　monthly　to　be　allowed　to　follow　his　brother；　Shrewd　reluctantly　conceded　to　him。
　　　　　　　From　then；　until　the　day　four　years　later　when　Chivalry　abdicated　and　Verity　assumed　the　title　King…in…Waiting；　the　two　Princes　worked　as　one　in　formalizing　boundaries；　treaties；　and　trade　agreements　with　the　lands　bordering　the　Six　Duchies。　Prince　Chivalry's　talent　was　for　dealing　with　people；　as　individuals　or　as　a　folk。　Verity's　was　for　the　detail　of　agreements；　the　precise　maps　that　delineated　agreed　borders；　and　the　supporting　of　his　brother　in　his　authority　both　as　a　soldier　and　as　a　prince。
　　　　　　　Prince　Regal；　youngest　of　Shrewd's　sons　and　his　only　child　with　Queen　Desire；　spent　his　youth　at　home　at　court；　where　his　mother　made　every　effort　to　groom　him　as　a　candidate　for　the　throne。
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　I　traveled　home　to　Buckkeep　with　a　sense　of　relief。　It　was　not　the　first　time　I　had　performed　such　a　task　for　my　king；　but　I　had　never　developed　a　relish　for　my　work　as　an　assassin。　I　was　glad　at　how　Virago　had　insulted　me　and　baited　me；　for　it　had　made　my　task　bearable。　And　yet；　she　had　been　a　very　beautiful　woman；　and　a　skilled　warrior。　It　was　a　waste；　and　I　took　no　pride　in　my　work；　save　that　I　had　obeyed　my　king's　mand。　Such　were　my　thoughts　as　Sooty　carried　me　up　the　last　rise　toward　home。
　　　　　　　I　looked　up　the　hill；　and　scarce　could　believe　what　I　saw。　Kettr