rh.royalassassin-第92节

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　　　　　　　I　nodded　gravely。
　　　　　　　〃He　made　it　impossible　for　me　to　speak　to　the　King。　Instead；　he　insisted　on　explaining　it　all　to　me。　He　claimed　that　the　rider　had　been　brought　directly　to　the　King's　chamber；　and　that　he　had　encountered　the　messenger　as　he　came　to　visit　his　father。　He　had　sent　the　boy　to　rest　while　he　talked　with　the　King。　And　that　together　they　had　decided　that　nothing　could　be　done　now。　Then　Shrewd　had　sent　him　to　announce　that　to　the　boy　and　the　gathered　nobles；　and　to　explain　to　them　the　state　of　the　treasury。　According　to　Regal；　we　are　very　near　on　the　brink　of　ruin；　and　every　penny　must　be　watched。　Bearn　must　look　out　for　Bearn's　own；　he　told　me。　And　when　I　asked　if　Beam's　own　were　not　Six　Duchies　folk；　he　told　me　that　Bearn　had　always　stood　more　or　less　on　its　own。　It　was　not　rational；　he　said；　to　expect　that　Buck　could　guard　a　coast　so　far　to　the　north　of　us；　and　so　long。　Fitz；　did　you　know　that　the　Near　Islands　had　already　been　ceded　to　the　Raiders？〃
　　　　　　　I　shot　to　my　feet。　〃I　know　that　no　such　thing　is　true！〃　I　blurted　in　outrage。
　　　　　　　〃Regal　claims　it　is　so；〃　Kettricken　continued　implacably。　〃He　says　that　Verity　had　decided　before　he　left　that　there　was　no　real　hope　of　keeping　them　safe　from　the　Raiders。　And　that　is　why　he　called　back　our　ship　Constance。　He　says　Verity　Skilled　to　Carrod；　the　coterie　member　on　the　ship；　to　order　the　ship　back　home　for　repairs。〃
　　　　　　　〃That　ship　was　refitted　just　after　harvest。　Then　she　was　sent　out；　to　keep　the　coast　between　Sealbay　and　Gulls；　and　to　be　ready　should　the　Near　Islands　call　for　her。　It　is　what　her　master　asked　for；　more　time　to　practice　seamanship　in　winter　waters。　Verity　would　not　leave　that　stretch　of　coast　unwatched。　If　the　Raiders　establish　a　stronghold　on　the　Near　Islands；　we　shall　never　be　free　of　them。　They　can　raid　winter　and　summer　alike　from　there。〃
　　　　　　　〃Regal　claims　that　is　what　they　have　done　already。　He　says　our　only　hope　now　is　to　treat　with　them。〃　Her　blue　eyes　searched　my　face。
　　　　　　　I　sank　down　slowly；　near　stunned。　Could　any　of　this　be　true？　How　could　it　have　been　kept　from　me？　My　sense　of　Verity　within　me　mirrored　my　confusion。　He　knew　nothing　of　this　either。　〃I　do　not　think　the　King…in…Waiting　would　ever　treat　with　the　Raiders。　Save　with　the　sharp　of　his　sword。〃
　　　　　　　〃This　is　not；　then；　a　secret　kept　from　me　lest　it　distress　me？　Regal　implied　as　much；　that　Verity　would　keep　these　things　secret　from　me；　as　beyond　my　understanding。〃　There　was　a　trembling　in　her　voice。　It　went　beyond　her　anger　that　the　Near　Islands　might　have　been　abandoned　to　the　Raiders；　to　a　more　personal　pain　that　her　lord　might　have　found　her　unworthy　of　his　confidences。　I　longed　so　badly　to　take　her　in　my　arms　and　fort　her　that　I　ached　inside。
　　　　　　　〃My　lady；〃　I　said　hoarsely。　〃Take　this　truth　from　my　lips　as　surely　as　it　came　from　Verity's　own。　All　this　is　as　false　as　you　are　true。　I　shall　find　the　bottom　of　this　net　of　lies　and　slash　it　wide　open。　We　shall　see　what　sort　of　fish　falls　out。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　can　trust　you　to　pursue　this　quietly；　Fitz？〃
　　　　　　　〃My　lady；　you　are　one　of　the　few　who　knows　the　extent　of　my　training　in　quiet　undertakings。〃
　　　　　　　She　nodded　gravely。　〃The　King；　you　understand；　denies　none　of　this。　But　neither　did　he　seem　to　follow　all　that　Regal　said。　He　was　。。。　like　a　child；　listening　to　his　elders　converse　nodding；　but　understanding　little　。。。。〃　She　glanced　down　fondly　at　Rosemary　at　her　feet。
　　　　　　　〃I　shall　go　to　see　the　King　as　well。　I　promise；　I　shall　have　answers　for　you；　and　soon。〃
　　　　　　　〃Before　Duke　Bearns　arrives；〃　she　cautioned　me。　〃I　must　have　the　truth　by　then。　I　owe　him　at　least　that。〃
　　　　　　　〃We　shall　have　more　than　just　the　truth　for　him；　my　lady　queen；〃　I　promised　her。　The　emeralds　weighed　heavy　still　in　my　pouch。　I　knew　she　would　not　begrudge　them。
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　CHAPTER　TWENTY
　　　　　　　Mishaps
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　DURING　THE　YEARS　of　the　Red…Ship　raids；　the　Six　Duchies　suffered　significantly　from　their　atrocities。　The　folk　of　the　Six　Duchies　at　that　time　learned　a　greater　hatred　of　the　Outislanders　than　ever　they　had　felt　before。
　　　　　　　In　their　grandfathers'　and　fathers'　times；　Outislanders　had　been　both　traders　and　pirates。　Raids　were　carried　out　by　solitary　ships。　We　had　not　had　a　raiding　〃war〃　such　as　this　since　the　days　of　King　Wisdom。　Although　pirate　attacks　were　not　rare　occurrences；　they　were　still　far　more　infrequent　than　the　Outisland　ships　that　came　to　our　shores　to　trade。　The　blood　ties　among　the　noble　families　to　Outisland　kin　were　openly　acknowledged；　and　many　a　family　owned　to　a　〃cousin〃　in　the　Outislands。
　　　　　　　But　after　the　savage　raiding　that　preceded　Forge；　and　the　atrocities　at　Forge；　all　friendly　talk　of　the　Outislands　ceased。　Their　ships　had　always　been　more　wont　to　visit　our　shores　than　our　traders　to　seek　out　their　ice　plagued　harbors　and　swift…tided　channels。　Now　trade　ceased　entirely。　Thus　our　folk　knew　nothing　of　their　Outisland　kin　during　the　days　when　we　suffered　the　Red…Ships。　〃Outislander〃　became　synonymous　with　〃Raider；　〃　and　in　our　minds；　all　Outisland　vessels　had　red　hulls。
　　　　　　　But　one；　Chade　Fallstar；　a　personal　adviser　to　King　Shrewd；　took　it　upon　himself　to　travel　to　the　Outislands　in　those　perilous　days。　From　his　journals　we　have　this：
　　　　　　　Kebal　Rawbread　was　not　even　a　name　known　in　the　Six　Duchies。　It　was　a　name　not　breathed　in　the　Outislands。　The　independent　folk　of　the　scattered　and　isolated　villages　of　the　Outislands　had　never　owed　allegiance　to　any　one　King。　Nor　was　Kebal　Rawbread　thought　of　as　a　King　there。　Rather　he　was　a　malevolent　force；　like　a　freezing　wind　that　so　coats　a　ship's　rigging　with　ice　that　in　a　hour　she　turns　belly…up　on　the　sea。
　　　　　　　The　few　folk　I　encountered　that　did　not　fear　to　talk　said　Kebal　had　founded　his　power　by　subduing　the　individual　pirates　and　raiding　ships　to　his　control。　With　those　in　hand；　he　turned　his　efforts　to　〃recruiting〃　the　best　navigators；　the　most　capable　captains；　and　the　most　skillful　fighters　the　scattered　villages　had　to　offer。　Those　who　refused　his　offers　saw　their　families　escralled；　or　Forged；　as　we　have　e　to　call　it。　Then　they　were　left　alive　to　cope　with　the　shattered　remnants　of　their　lives。　Most　were　forced　to　put　family　members　to　death　with　their　own　hands；　Outislander　customs　are　strict　regarding　a　householder's　duty　to　maintain　order　amongst　family　members。　As　word　of　these　incidents　spread；　fewer　resisted　the　offers　of　Kebal　Rawbread。　Some　few　fled：　their　extended　families　still　paid　the　price　of　escral。　Others　chose　suicide；　but　again；　the　families　were　not　spared。　Such　examples　left　few　daring　to　defy　Rawbread　or　his　ships。
　　　　　　　Even　to　speak　against　him　invited　escral。　Sparse　as　was　the　knowledge　I　gained　on　this　visit；　it　was　gained　with　great　difficulty。　Rumors　I　gathered　as　well；　though　they　were　as　sparse　as　black　lambs　in　a　white　flock。　I　list　them　here。　A　〃white　ship　〃　is　spoken　of；　a　ship　that　es　to　separate　souls。　Not　to　take　them；　or　destroy　them：　to　separate　them。　They　whisper；　too；　of　a　pale　woman　whom　even　Kebal　Rawbread　fears　and　reveres。　Many　related　the　torments　of　their　land　to　the　unprecedented　advances　of　the　〃ice　whales〃　or　glaciers。　Always　present　in　the　upper　reaches　of　their　narrow　valleys；　they　now　advanced　more　swiftly　than　in　the　memory　of　any　living　man。　They　were　rapidly　covering　what　little　arable　soil　the　Outislands　possessed　and；　in　a　way　no　one　could　or　would　explain　to　me；　bringing　a　〃change　of　water。　〃
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　I　went　to　see　the　King　that　evening。　It　was　not　without　trepidation　on　my　part。　He　would　not　have　forgotten　our　last　talk　about　Celerity；　any　more　than　I　had。　I　reminded　myself　firmly　that　this　visit　was　not　for　my　personal　reasons　but　for　Kettricken　and　Verity。　Then　I　knocked　and　Wallace　grudgingly　admitted　me。　The　King　was　sitting　up　in　his　chair　by　the　hearth。　The　Fool　was　at　his　feet；　staring　pensively　into　the　fire。　King　Shrewd　looked　up　as　I　entered。　I　presented　myself　and　he　greeted　me　warmly；　then　bade　me　be　seated　and　tell　him　how　my　day　had　gone。　At　this；　I　shot　the　Fool　a　brief　puzzled　glance。　He　returned　me　a　bitter　smile。　I　took　a　stool　opposite　the　Fool　and　waited。
　　　　　　　King　Shrewd　looked　down　on　me　benignly。　〃Well；　lad？　Did　you　have　a　good　day？　Tell　me　about　it。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　have　had　a　。。。　worrisome　day；　my　king。〃
　　　　　　　〃Have　you；　now？　Well；　have　a　cup　of　tea。　It　does　wonders　to　soothe　the　nerves。　Fool；　pour　my　boy　a　cup　of　tea。〃
　　　　　　　〃Willingly；　my　king。　I　do　so　at　your　mand　even　more　willingly　than　I　do　it　for　yourself。〃　With　a　surprising　alacrity；　the　Fool　leaped　to　his　feet。　There　was　a　fat　clay　pot　of　tea　warming　in　the　embers　at　the　edges　of　the　fire。　From　this　the　Fool　poured　me　a　mug　and　then　handed　it　to　me；　with　the　wish；　〃Drink　as　deeply　as　our　king　does；　and　you　shall　share　his　serenity。〃
　　　　　　　I　took　the　mug　from　his　hand　and　lifted　it　to　my　lips。　I　inhaled　the　vapors；　then　let　the　liquid　lap　lightly　against　my　tongue。　It　smelled　warm　and　spicy；　and　tingled　pleasantly　against　my　tongue。　I　did　not　drink；　but　lowered　the　cup　with　a　smile。　〃A　pleasant　brew；　but　is　not　merrybud　addictive？〃　I　asked　the　King　directly。
　　　　　　　He　smiled　down　on　me。　〃Not　in　such　a　small　quantity。　Wallace　has　assured　me　it　is　good　for　my