rh.royalassassin-第60节

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　　　　　　　No。　It　is　stupid　and　dangerous。　I　shall　be　there；　but　you　may　trust　me　to　be　unseen　and　unknowable。
　　　　　　　〃What　did　you　do；　just　then？〃　It　was　Verity；　speaking　aloud。　His　hand　was　on　my　wrist。　I　looked　down　into　his　eyes。　There　was　no　harshness　to　his　question。　He　asked　it　as　I　might　ask　it　of　a　small　child　found　carving　on　the　woodwork。　I　stood　frozen　inside　myself。　I　longed　to　unburden　myself；　to　have　one　person　in　the　world　who　knew　all　about　me；　everything　that　I　was。
　　　　　　　You　already　do；　Nighteyes　objected。
　　　　　　　It　was　true。　And　I　could　not　endanger　him。　〃You　must　trust　me；　also；〃　I　found　myself　saying　to　my　king…in…waiting。
　　　　　　　And　when　he　remained　looking　up　at　me　consideringly；　I　asked；　〃My　prince。　Do　you？〃
　　　　　　　〃Yes。〃　With　one　word；　he　gave　me　his　trust；　and　with　it　his　confidence　that　whatever　I　had　been　doing　would　not　bring　him　harm。　It　sounds　a　simple　thing；　but　for　a　King…in…Waiting　to　permit　his　own　assassin　to　keep　secrets　from　him　was　a　staggering　act。　Years　ago；　his　father　had　bought　my　loyalty；　with　a　promise　of　food　and　shelter　and　education　and　a　silver　pin　thrust　into　my　shirtfront。　Verity's　simple　act　of　trust　was　suddenly　more　to　me　than　any　of　these　things。　The　love　I　had　always　felt　for　him　suddenly　knew　no　bounds。　How　could　I　not　trust　him？
　　　　　　　He　smiled　sheepishly。　〃You　can　Skill；　when　you've　heart　to。〃　With　no　more　than　that；　he　entered　my　mind　again。　As　long　as　his　hand　was　on　my　wrist；　the　joining　of　thoughts　was　effortless。　I　felt　his　curiosity　and　tinge　of　woe　at　looking　down　at　his　own　face　through　my　eyes。　A　looking　glass　is　kinder。　I　have　aged。
　　　　　　　With　him　ensconced　in　my　mind；　it　would　have　been　useless　to　deny　the　truth　of　what　he　said。　So；　it　was　a　necessary　sacrifice。　I　agreed。
　　　　　　　He　lifted　his　hand　from　my　wrist。　For　a　moment　I　had　dizzying　double　vision；　looking　at　myself；　looking　at　him；　and　then　it　settled。　He　turned　carefully　to　set　his　own　eyes　once　more　on　the　horizon；　and　then　sealed　that　vision　from　me。　Without　his　touch；　this　clasping　of　minds　was　a　different　thing。　I　left　the　room　slowly　and　went　down　the　stairs　as　if　I　were　balancing　a　wineglass　full　to　the　brim。　Exactly。　And　in　both　cases；　it　is　easier　to　do　if　you　do　not　look　at　it　and　think　about　it　so　heavily。　Just　carry。
　　　　　　　I　went　down　to　the　kitchens；　where　I　ate　a　solid　breakfast　and　tried　to　behave　normally。　Verity　was　right。　It　was　easier　to　maintain　our　contact　if　I　didn't　focus　on　it。　While　everyone　there　was　busied　at　other　tasks；　I　managed　to　slip　a　plateful　of　biscuits　into　my　carry　sack。　〃Going　hunting？〃　Cook　asked　me　as　she　turned　about。　I　nodded。
　　　　　　　〃Well；　be　careful。　What　are　you　going　after？〃
　　　　　　　〃Wild　boar；〃　I　improvised。　〃Just　to　locate　one；　not　to　attempt　a　kill　today。　I　thought　it　might　be　a　fine　amusement　during　Winterfest。〃
　　　　　　　〃For　who？　Prince　Verity？　You　won't　budge　him　out　of　the　Keep；　pet。　Keeps　too　much　to　his　rooms　these　days；　he　does；　and　poor　old　King　Shrewd　hasn't　taken　a　real　meal　with　us　in　weeks。　I　don't　know　why　I　keep　cooking　his　favorites；　when　the　tray　es　back　as　full　as　I　sent　it。　Now；　Prince　Regal；　he　might　go；　long　as　it　didn't　muss　his　curls。〃　There　was　a　general　clucking　of　laughter　among　the　kitchen　maids　at　that。　My　cheeks　burned　at　Cook's　boldness。　Steady。　They　don't　know　I'm　here；　boy。　And　naught　of　what　is　said　to　you　shall　be　held　against　them　by　me。　Don't　betray　us　now。　I　sensed　Verity's　amusement；　and　also　his　concern。　So　I　permitted　myself　a　grin；　thanked　Cook　for　the　pasty　she　insisted　I　take；　and　left　the　Keep　kitchen。
　　　　　　　Sooty　was　restive　in　her　stall；　more　than　eager　for　an　outing。　Burrich　passed　by　as　I　was　saddling　her。　His　dark　eyes　took　in　my　leathers　and　the　tooled　sheath　and　fine　hilt　of　the　sword。　He　cleared　his　throat；　but　then　stood　silent。　I　had　never　been　able　to　decide　exactly　how　much　Burrich　knew　of　my　work。　At　one　time；　in　the　Mountains；　I　had　divulged　my　assassin's　training　to　him。　But　that　had　been　before　he　took　a　blow　on　the　head　attempting　to　protect　me。　When　he　recovered　from　it；　he　professed　to　have　lost　the　memories　of　the　day　that　preceded　it。　But　sometimes　I　wondered。　Perhaps　it　was　his　sage　way　of　keeping　a　secret　a　secret；　that　it　could　not　be　discussed　even　by　those　who　shared　it。　〃Be　careful；〃　he　said　at　last；　gruffly。　〃Don't　you　let　that　mare　e　to　harm。〃
　　　　　　　〃We'll　be　careful；〃　I　promised　him；　and　then　led　Sooty　out　past　him。
　　　　　　　Despite　my　errands　it　was　still　early　morning；　with　just　enough　winter　light　to　make　it　safe　to　canter。　I　let　Sooty　out；　allowing　her　to　choose　her　pace　and　express　her　spirits；　and　letting　her　warm　herself　without　allowing　her　to　break　a　sweat。　There　was　broken　cloud　cover；　and　the　sun　was　slipping　through　it　to　touch　the　trees　and　banked　snow　with　glistening　fingers。　I　pulled　Sooty　in；　pacing　her。　We　would　be　taking　a　roundabout　way　to　get　to　the　creek　bed；　I　did　not　want　to　leave　the　trodden　paths　until　we　must。
　　　　　　　Verity　was　with　me　every　second。　It　was　not　that　we　conversed；　but　he　was　privy　to　my　internal　dialogue。　He　enjoyed　the　fresh　morning　air；　Sooty's　responsiveness；　and　the　youth　of　my　own　body。　But　the　farther　I　went　from　the　Keep；　the　more　aware　I　became　of　keeping　a　grip　on　Verity。　From　a　touch　he　had　initially　imposed　on　me；　the　sharing　had　changed　to　a　mutual　effort　more　like　clasping　hands。　I　wondered　if　I　would　be　able　to　maintain　it。　Don't　think　about　it。　Just　do　it。　Even　breathing　bees　a　task　if　you　pay　attention　to　every　breath。　I　blinked　my　eyes；　suddenly　aware　that　he　was　now　in　his　study；　carrying　on　his　normal　morning　tasks。　Like　the　humming　of　faraway　bees；　I　was　aware　of　Charim　consulting　with　him　about　something。
　　　　　　　I　could　detect　no　sign　of　Nighteyes。　I　was　trying　not　to　think　about　him；　nor　look　for　him；　a　strenuous　mental　denial　that　was　fully　as　demanding　as　keeping　Verity's　consciousness　with　me。　So　quickly　had　I　bee　accustomed　to　reaching　out　for　my　wolf　and　finding　him　awaiting　my　touch　that　I　felt　isolated；　and　as　unbalanced　as　if　my　favorite　knife　were　missing　from　my　belt。　The　only　image　that　could　pletely　displace　him　from　my　mind　was　Molly's；　and　that；　too；　was　one　I　did　not　wish　to　dwell　on。　Verity　had　not　rebuked　me　for　my　actions　of　the　night　before；　but　I　knew　he　regarded　them　as　less　than　honorable。　I　had　an　uneasy　feeling　that　if　I　allowed　myself　time　to　truly　consider　all　that　had　happened；　I　would　agree　with　him。　Cowardly；　I　kept　my　mind　reined　away　from　that；　too。
　　　　　　　I　realized　I　was　putting　most　of　my　mental　effort　to　not　thinking。　I　gave　my　head　a　shake　and　opened　myself　up　to　the　day。　The　road　I　was　following　was　not　well　traveled。　It　wound　through　the　rolling　hills　behind　Buckkeep；　and　far　more　sheep　and　goats　trod　it　than　men。　Several　decades　ago　a　lightning　fire　had　cleared　it　of　trees。　The　first　growth　of　trees　on　it　was　mostly　birch　and　cottonwood；　now　standing　bare　but　for　snow　burden。　This　hilly　country　was　ill…suited　to　farming；　and　served　mostly　as　summer　pasturage　for　grazing　animals；　but　from　time　to　time　I　would　catch　a　whiff　of　wood　smoke　and　see　a　trodden　path　leading　from　the　road　to　a　woodcutter's　cottage；　or　a　trapper's　hut。　It　was　an　area　of　small；　isolated　homesteads　occupied　by　folk　of　humbler　persuasions。
　　　　　　　The　road　became　narrower；　and　the　trees　changed　as　I　entered　an　older　part　of　the　forest。　Here　the　dark　evergreens　still　stood　thick　and　crowded　close　to　the　road's　edge。　Their　trunks　were　immense；　and　beneath　their　spreading　branches　snow　lay　in　uneven　hummocks　on　the　forest　floor。　There　was　little　underbrush。　Most　of　the　year's　snowfall　was　still　up　above；　resting　on　those　thickly　needled　limbs。　It　was　easy　to　turn　Sooty　aside　from　the　trail　here。　We　traveled　under　the　snowladen　canopy　through　a　grayish　daylight。　The　day　seemed　hushed　in　the　dimness　of　the　great　trees。
　　　　　　　You　are　seeking　a　specific　place。　You　have　definite　information　as　to　where　the　Forged　ones　are？
　　　　　　　They　were　seen　on　a　certain　creek　bank；　eating　from　a　winter…killed　deer。　Just　yesterday。　I　thought　we　could　trail　them　from　there。
　　　　　　　Who　saw　them？
　　　　　　　I　hesitated。　A　friend　of　mine。　He　is　shy　of　most　folk。　But　I　have　gained　his　confidence；　and　sometimes；　when　he　sees　odd　things；　he　es　to　me　and　tells　me。
　　　　　　　Um。　I　could　sense　Verity's　reservations　as　he　considered　my　reticence。　Well。　I　shall　ask　no　more。　Some　secrets　are　necessary；　I　suppose。　I　remember　a　little　half…wit　girl　who　used　to　e　and　sit　at　my　mother's　feet。　My　mother　kept　her　clothed　and　fed　and　gave　her　trinkets　and　sweets。　No　one　ever　paid　much　attention　to　her。　But　once　I　came　upon　them　unawares；　and　heard　her　telling　my　mother　about　a　man　in　a　tavern　who　had　been　selling　pretty　necklaces　and　armbands。　Later　that　week　the　King's　guard　arrested　Rife　the　highwayman　in　the　very　same　tavern。　Quiet　folk　often　know　much。
　　　　　　　Indeed。
　　　　　　　We　rode　on　in　a　panionable　silence。　Occasionally　I　had　to　remind　myself　that　Verity　was　not　here　in　the　flesh。　But　I　begin　to　wish　I　were。　It　has　been　too　long；　boy；　since　I　rode　through　these　hills　simply　for　the　sake　of　riding。　My　life　has　bee　too　heavy　with　purpose。　I　cannot　remember　the　last　time　I　did　something　simply　because　I　wanted　to　do　it。
　　　　　　　I　was　nodding　t