rh.royalassassin-第117部分

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was　a　sumptuous　gift；　and　it　was　received　in　an　awed　silence。　When　Duke　Kelvar　recovered　himself；　he　rose　to　offer　a　toast　to　his　queen　and　to　the　unborn　Farseer　heir。　So　swiftly　had　the　rumor　bee　general　knowledge。　Queen　Kettricken　colored　prettily；　but　managed　her　thanks　well。
　　　　　　　Those　brief　days　of　victory　were　a　healing　balm　to　us　all。　We　had　fought；　and　fought　well。　Neatbay　would　rebuild；　and　the　Outislanders　had　no　hold　in　Bayguard。　For　a　brief　time　it　seemed　possible　that　we　could　win　free　of　them　entirely。
　　　　　　　Before　we　had　left　Neatbay；　the　songs　were　already　being　sung；　about　a　Queen　with　her　skirts　bundled　up　standing　bold　against　the　Red…Ships；　and　of　the　child　in　her　womb　who　was　a　warrior　before　birth。　That　the　Queen　would　risk　not　only　herself　but　the　heir　to　the　throne　for　Rippon　Duchy　was　not　lost　upon　any　of　them。　First　Duke　Brawndy　of　Bearns；　and　now　Kelvar　of　Rippon；　I　thought　to　myself。　Kettricken　was　doing　well　at　winning　the　Duchies'　loyalty。
　　　　　　　I　had　my　moments　at　Neatbay；　both　warming　and　chilling。　For　Lady　Grace；　on　seeing　me　in　the　Great　Hall；　recognized　me　and　came　to　speak　to　me。　〃So；〃　she　had　said　after　greeting　me　quietly；　〃my　kitchen　dog　boy　has　the　blood　of　kings　in　him。　No　wonder　you　advised　me　so　well；　those　years　ago。〃　She　had　grown　well　into　being　a　lady　and　a　Duchess。　Her　feist　dog　still　went　everywhere　with　her；　but　now　he　ran　about　at　her　heels；　and　this　change　pleased　me　almost　as　much　as　her　easy　carriage　of　her　title　and　her　obvious　affection　for　her　duke。
　　　　　　　〃We　have　both　changed　much；　Lady　Grace；〃　I　replied；　and　she　accepted　the　pliment　I　intended。　The　last　time　I　had　seen　her　had　been　when　I　had　traveled　here　with　Verity。　She　had　not　then　been　so　fortable　being　a　Duchess。　I　had　met　her　in　the　kitchens；　when　her　dog　had　been　choking　on　a　bone。　I　had　persuaded　her　then　that　her　duke's　coin　was　better　spent　on　watchtowers　than　jewelry　for　her。　Back　then；　she　had　been　very　new　to　being　a　Duchess。　Now　she　seemed　never　to　have　been　anything　else。
　　　　　　　〃Not　a　dog　boy　anymore？〃　she　asked　with　a　wry　smile。
　　　　　　　〃Dog　boy？　Man　wolf！〃　observed　someone。　I　turned　to　see　who　had　spoken；　but　the　hall　was　crowded　and　no　face　seemed　turned　to　watch　us。　I　shrugged　as　if　the　remark　were　of　no　consequence；　and　Lady　Grace　appeared　not　to　have　even　heard　it。　She　presented　me　with　a　token　of　her　favor　before　I　left。　It　still　makes　me　smile　to　think　on　it：　a　tiny　pin　in　the　shape　of　a　fish's　bones。　〃I　had　this　made；　to　remind　me　。。。　I　should　like　you　to　have　it　now。〃　She　herself　seldom　wore　jewelry　anymore；　she　told　me。　She　handed　it　to　me　on　a　balcony；　on　a　dark　evening　when　the　lights　of　Duke　Kelvar's　watchtowers　glittered　like　diamonds　against　the　black　sky。
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　CHAPTER　TWENTY…FIVE
　　　　　　　Buckkeep
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　TRADEFORD　CASTLE　ON　the　Vin　River　was　one　of　the　traditional　residences　of　the　ruling　family　of　Farrow。　This　was　the　place　where　Queen　Desire　had　spent　her　childhood；　and　here　she　returned　with　her　son　Regal　during　the　summers　of　his　childhood。　The　town　of　Tradeford　is　a　lively　place；　a　center　for　merce　in　the　heart　of　orchard…and…grain　country。　The　Vin　River　is　a　sleepily　navigable　water；　making　travel　easy　and　pleasant。　Queen　Desire　had　always　insisted　it　was　superior　to　Buckkeep　in　every　regard　and　would　have　served　much　better　as　a　seat　for　the　royal　family。
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　The　trip　back　to　Buckkeep　was　eventful　only　in　small　ways。　Kettricken　was　worn　and　tired　by　the　time　we　were　to　return。　Although　she　tried　not　to　show　it；　it　was　evident　in　the　circles　under　her　eyes　and　the　set　of　her　mouth。　Duke　Kelvar　furnished　her　with　a　litter　for　the　trip　home；　but　a　brief　ride　in　it　showed　her　that　its　swaying　only　made　her　more　nauseated。　She　returned　it　with　thanks　and　rode　home　astride　her　mare。
　　　　　　　Our　second　night　on　the　road　home；　Foxglove　came　to　our　fire　and　told　Burrich　she　thought　she　had　seen　a　wolf；　several　times　that　day。　Burrich　shrugged　indifferently　and　assured　her　it　was　probably　just　curious；　and　was　no　threat　to　us。　After　she　left；　Burrich　turned　to　me　and　said；　〃That's　going　to　happen　once　too　often。〃
　　　　　　　〃What？〃
　　　　　　　〃A　wolf；　seen　in　your　vicinity。　Fitz；　have　a　care。　There　were　rumors；　back　when　you　killed　those　Forged　ones。　There　were　tracks　all　about；　and　the　marks　on　those　men　were　never　made　by　any　blade。　Someone　told　me　they　saw　a　wolf　prowling　Neatbay　the　night　of　the　battle。　I　even　heard　a　wild　tale　about　a　wolf　who　changed　into　a　man　when　the　battle　was　over。　There　were　tracks　in　the　mud　outside　the　Queen's　very　tent　from　that　night；　as　well　for　you　that　everyone　was　so　tired　and　in　so　much　of　a　hurry　to　dispose　of　the　dead。　There　were　a　few　there　that　did　not　die　at　a　man's　hand。〃
　　　　　　　A　few？　Fa！
　　　　　　　Burrich's　face　contorted　in　anger。　〃That　will　cease。　Now。〃
　　　　　　　You　are　strong；　Heart　of　the　Pack；　but
　　　　　　　The　thought　was　broken　and　I　heard　a　sudden　yelp　of　surprise　from　off　in　the　brush。　Several　of　the　horses　startled　and　looked　in　that　direction。　I　myself　was　staring　at　Burrich。　He　had　repelled　at　Nighteyes；　fiercely　and　from　a　distance。
　　　　　　　Luckily　for　you；　from　a　distance；　for　the　strength　of　that　。。。　I　began　to　warn　Nighteyes。
　　　　　　　Burrich's　gaze　swung　to　me。　〃I　said；　that　will　cease！　Now！〃　He　looked　aside　from　me　in　disgust。　〃I'd　rather　you　rode　with　your　hand　in　your　pants　than　that　you　did　that　constantly　in　my　presence。　It　offends　me。〃
　　　　　　　I　could　think　of　nothing　to　say。　Years　of　living　together　had　taught　me　that　he　would　not　be　argued　out　of　his　feelings　about　the　Wit。　He　knew　I　was　bonded　to　Nighteyes。　That　he　would　still　tolerate　my　presence　was　as　far　as　he　could　unbend。　I　need　not　constantly　remind　him　that　the　wolf　and　I　shared　minds。　I　bowed　my　head　in　assent。　That　night；　for　the　first　time　in　a　long　time；　my　dreams　were　my　own。
　　　　　　　I　dreamed　of　Molly。　She　wore　red　skirts　again；　and　crouched　on　the　beach；　cutting　sheel　from　the　stones　with　her　belt　knife　and　eating　them　rave。　She　looked　up　at　me　and　smiled。　I　came　closer。　She　leaped　up　and　ran　barefoot　down　the　beach　in　front　of　me。　I　chased　her；　but　she　was　as　fleet　as　she　had　ever　been。　Her　hair　blew　back　off　her　shoulders；　and　she　only　laughed　when　I　called　out　to　her　to　wait；　wait。　I　awoke　feeling　strangely　glad　that　she　had　outrun　me；　and　with　the　dream　scent　of　lavender　still　in　my　mind。
　　　　　　　We　expected　to　be　well　greeted　at　Buckkeep。　The　ships；　given　the　kinder　weather；　should　have　made　land　before　us；　to　give　tidings　of　our　success。　So　we　were　not　surprised　to　see　a　contingent　of　Regal's　guard　ing　forth　to　meet　us。　What　did　seem　strange　was　that　after　they　sighted　us；　they　continued　to　walk　their　horses。　Not　a　man　yelled；　or　waved　a　greeting。　Instead　they　came　toward　us　silent　and　sober　as　ghosts。　I　think　Burrich　and　I　saw　at　the　same　time　the　baton　the　lead　man　carried；　the　small　polished　stick　that　betokened　serious　tidings。
　　　　　　　He　turned　to　me　as　we　watched　them　approach。　Dread　was　written　large　on　his　face。　〃King　Shrewd　has　died？〃　he　suggested　softly。
　　　　　　　I　felt　no　surprise；　only　a　gaping　loss　in　me。　A　frightened　boy　inside　me　gasped　that　now　no　one　and　nothing　could　stand　between　me　and　Regal。　In　another　part；　I　wondered　what　it　would　have　been　like　to　call　him　〃Grandfather〃　instead　of　〃my　king。〃　But　those　selfish　parts　were　small　pared　with　what　it　meant　to　this　King's　Man。　Shrewd　had　shaped　me；　made　me　what　I　was；　for　good　or　ill。　He　had　picked　up　my　life　one　day；　a　boy　playing　under　a　table　in　the　Great　Hall；　and　set　his　stamp　upon　it。　His　decision　that　I　must　read　and　write；　must　be　able　to　wield　a　sword　or　disperse　a　poison。　It　seemed　to　me　that　with　his　passing；　I　must　take　responsibility　for　my　own　acts　now。　It　was　a　strangely　frightening　thought。
　　　　　　　All　had　bee　aware　of　the　lead　man's　burden。　We　halted　on　the　road。　Like　a　curtain　parting；　Kettricken's　guard　opened　to　allow　him　to　approach　her。　A　terrible　silence　held　as　he　handed　her　the　baton；　and　then　the　small　scroll。　The　red　sealing　wax　flaked　away　from　her　nail。　I　watched　it　fall　to　the　muddy　road。　Slowly　she　opened　the　scroll　and　read　it。　Something　went　out　of　her　in　that　reading。　Her　hand　fell　to　her　side。　She　let　the　scroll　follow　the　wax　to　the　mud；　a　thing　done　with；　a　thing　she　never　wished　to　peruse　again。　She　did　not　faint；　nor　cry　out。　Her　eyes　looked　afar；　and　she　set　her　hand　gently　atop　her　belly。　And　in　that　motion；　I　knew　it　was　not　Shrewd　who　was　dead；　but　Verity。
　　　　　　　I　reached　for　him。　Somewhere；　surely　somewhere；　coiled　small　inside　me；　a　spark　of　a　link；　the　tiniest　thread　of　a　connection　。。。　no。　I　did　not　even　know　when　it　had　vanished。　I　recalled　that　whenever　I　fought；　I　was　likely　to　break　my　link　with　him。　It　did　not　help。　I　recalled　now　what　had　seemed　just　an　oddity　on　the　night　of　the　battle。　I　had　thought　I　had　heard　Verity's　voice；　crying　out；　issuing　orders　that　made　no　sense。　I　could　not　recall　one　individual　word　of　what　he　might　have　shouted。　But　now　it　seemed　to　me　that　they　had　been　battle　orders；　orders　to　scatter；　to　seek　cover　perhaps；　or　。。。　but　I　could　not　recall　anything　with　certainty。　I　looked　over　at　Burrich；　to　find　the　question　in　his　eyes。　I　had　to　shrug。　〃I　don't　know；〃　I　said　quiet