cacb.thefarkingdoms-第104部分

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　He　thought　for　a　moment；　then；　〃I　said　before；　I　liked　your　looks。　I　liked　them　better　when　I　looked　closer。　But　only　time　can　tell　how　right　。。。　or　wrong；　I　am。　So　here　is　what　I　am　going　to　do。　Beemus；　here；　will　find　you　places　to　stay。　As　honored　guests；　I　suppose　he'll　e　up　with　a　palace　for　Antero　and　Greycloak。　And　something　。。。　not　so　rich〃…he　grinned　at　Maeen…〃for　the　rest　of　you。　Now；　if　I've　forgotten　anything；　or　you　have　trouble　of　any　kind；　ask　Beemus　and　he'll　take　care　of　it。〃
　We　murmured　our　thanks；　the　king　nodded；　accepting　them。　〃Now；　here's　the　rules。　Be　on　your　good　behavior；　but　not　so　good　you　spoil　your　fun。　Besides；　I　want　to　see　what　you're　really　like；　and　I　can　tell　you　now；　I　don't　like　tight…arsed　fellows。〃
　He　looked　at　Janos。　〃You；　sir；　wish　to　study　our　magic。　I'll　see　if　any　of　my　wizards　will　take　you　under　their　wing。〃　He　shook　a　warning　finger　at　Janos。　〃But　don't　go　dabbling　with　the　black　sort。　There's　no　demons　allowed　in　my　realm。　And　I　intend　to　keep　it　that　way。〃
　Janos　dipped　his　head　in　acceptance；　his　eyes　were　alight　with　pleasure。　Just　then；　Raveline　stepped　forward。　〃I'd　be　glad　to　take　him　on；　brother；〃　he　said。　〃I　hear　he　has　amazing　talent。〃
　〃I　thought　you　might；〃　Domas　said。　〃And　that　is　fine　with　me。〃　He　looked　back　at　Janos。　〃Prince　Raveline　is　my　chief　wizard。　Damned　good　one；　too。　Although　not　as　good　as　he　thinks。　Fact　is；　I　could　best　him　with　a　little　practice；　but　wizardry　and　ruling　do　not　go　together　in　Vacaan。　We've　kept　them　separate　from　the　start　and　always　shall　in　the　future。〃
　〃I　also　do　his　dirty　work　for　him。〃　Raveline　laughed。
　〃And　you're　damned　good　at　that　as　well；〃　Domas　said。　〃Too　bad　you　enjoy　it　so　much。〃　Then；　to　us；　〃I　know　he　practices　the　black　arts　in　that　palace　of　his。　And　he　knows　that　I　know；　and　all　that　circular　rot。　Unfortunately　it's　a　necessary　evil。　We　have　many　enemies　outside。　With　only　his　filthy　work　to　keep　them　at　bay。〃
　〃Such　admiration；　brother　dear；　is　overwhelming；〃　Raveline　said。
　The　king　ignored　him。　〃So　there's　no　confusion；　you　ought　to　know　what　all　my　subjects　know：　I　dislike　my　brother　intensely。　As　much　as　he　hates　me。　The　only　reason　we　haven't　killed　each　other；　as　everyone　in　Vacaan　also　knows；　is　that　it　was　forbidden　from　the　beginning。　If　one　of　royal　blood　kills　another；　or　causes　one　of　our　subjects　to　kill；　then　our　dynasty　is　ended。〃
　The　king　chortled。　〃My　less　majestic　brother　has　greater　need　to　kill　me。　You　see；　he　wants　more　than　anything　to　be　king；　but　I　have　ten　royal　children　in　line　for　the　throne。〃　He　laughed　again　at　his　brother。　〃You'll　be　dead　ten　times　over；　oh　less　majestic　one。〃
　Raveline　returned　his　laughter。　〃Then　I　shall　have　to　be　happy　with　my　dirty　work；〃　he　said。　More　words　were　fired　back　and　forth；　and　we　tried　not　to　show　disfort　at　this　display　of　long　and　bitter　rivalry　or　show　signs　of　taking　sides；　although　I　easily　chose　mine。　I　studied　Raveline　as　the　two　royals　engaged　one　another。　Utorian　had　said　the　prince　was　the　younger　brother。　I　would　have　guessed　otherwise：　while　Domas　seemed　to　be　in　the　early　part　of　his　fourth　decade；　Raveline　had　the　look　of　a　man　knocking　hard　on　the　door　of　his　fifth。　His　forehead　above　and　below　the　crown　was　deeply　channeled；　his　eyes　were　pouched　and　edged　with　fishnets　of　long　conspiracy；　the　lips　were　knowing　and　sensuous　from　practiced　decadence。　I　heard　his　laugh　again：　it　was　rich　and　deep；　but　it　came　too　easily　and　was　touched　with　the　love　of　mockery。　His　brother　the　king　roared　laughter　in　reply；　but　this　mirthful　boom　rang　sincere。　Domas　was　a　man　who　relished　the　very　act　of　laughter　…　even　when　it　jeered。
　My　dislike　for　Raveline　did　not　grow　slowly　from　the　bitter　ground　of　later　experience；　it　rooted　and　leaped　to　full　maturity　at　first　sight　If　I　had　written　his　description　a　minute　after　we　met；　my　quill　would　still　have　lusted　for　poisonous　ink。　His　description；　I　realize；　paints　a　man　with　masked　features　that　hid　sorcerous　connivance　and　twisted　purpose。　In　reality；　he　worked　hard　to　match　his　brother；　keeping　his　face　open　and　allowing　emotion　to　do　as　it　pleased　with　position　and　plexion。　He　made　his　speech　blunt；　and　he　rode　it　down　the　short　road　to　direct　points。　But　I　had　my　father's　eye　for　sizing　up　a　customer；　and　this　was　one　I　did　not　trust。　However；　distrust　can　catch　a　bargain　as　well　as　its　pretty　sister；　so　I　made　it　into　a　coin　for　further　use。　I　glanced　at　Janos　and　worried　when　I　saw　how　he　was　weighing　Raveline's　every　word。　Ah；　well；　I　thought；　he's　practiced　in　taking　care。　Besides；　knowledge　was　his　purpose　now；　and　what　harm　can　knowledge　be？
　The　brothers　ended　their　quarrel；　and　I　saw　my　chance。　I　caught　the　king's　attention　and　asked；　〃If　I　may　ask　a　question；　Your　Majesty？〃
　〃Ask　away；〃　Domas　said。
　'That　we　have　much　to　gain　from　this　experience　is　obvious。　But；　I　wonder；　sir：　what　benefit　are　we　to　you？〃
　Domas　was　startled；　he　pulled　his　head　back　and　peered　at　me　for　a　long　moment。　Then　he　laughed　and　turned　to　Beemus。　〃Remember　the　time　I　asked　you　to　set　aside？　So　Antero　and　I　could　talk？〃　Beemus　whispered　that　unfortunately；　he　did。　Domas　said；　〃Well；　make　it　longer。〃　He　spread　his　hands　apart　quite　wide。　〃Much　longer。〃
　His　broad　face　swiveled　back　to　me。　〃I'll　tell　you　then；〃　he　said。
　With　that；　our　audience　ended。
　
　CHAPTER　TWENTY…THREE
　The　First　Veil　Parts
　A　KING'S　PROMISE　is　not　the　same　as　other　men's。　My　word　must　be　my　bond；　only　a　fool　would　trade　with　me　if　it　were　not。　But　a　king　can　renege　when　he　pleases　and　suffer　little；　if　at　all。　His　business　is　unique：　there　is　no　other　source　for　such　promises；　and　if　only　one　is　granted　out　of　ten；　there　will　still　be　ten　more　supplicants　elbowing　through　the　crowd　to　win　the　king's　favor。
　Two　weeks　after　King　Domas　had　given　his　promise；　we　were　still　gnawing　on　that　doubtful　coin　to　test　its　worth。　I　had　not　heard　from　Beemus　about　that　〃time〃　the　king　had　promised；　and　there　had　been　no　answers　from　the　palace　to　my　many　queries。　Janos　was　particularly　worried；　for　he　held　the　〃less　majestic〃　promise　of　a　prince；　and　his　equally　numerous　messages　to　Raveline　had　also　gone　unanswered。　Adding　to　Janos'　woes；　Prince　Raveline　had　done　nothing　at　all　beyond　that　first　gesture；　while　Domas　had　made　good　on　at　least　part　of　what　he　had　promised。　Our　men　were　well　cared　for；　enjoying　an　easy　life　at　a　villa　near　the　main　docks；　where　there　were　many　entertainments　and　awe…stricken　women　to　beguile　them。　Janos　and　I　had　each　been　given　a　palace　for　quarters　and　luxuries　aplenty　to　soothe　time's　passage。　But　the　abundant　and　glamorous　present　was　perched　on　the　crumbling　edge　of　the　future；　and　each　second　of　our　wait　had　bee　an　agony。
　〃I　almost　wish　Raveline　had　stayed　out　of　it；〃　Janos　said　one　day。　〃With　the　prince　claiming　me　as　his　student；　no　one　with　any　real　knowledge　dares　do　more　than　wish　me　a　good　morrow。〃
　My　distrust　of　Raveline　made　me　glad；　but　friendship　prodded　a　sigh　of　sympathy。　〃Both　our　royal　hosts　have　bee　as　unreachable　as　that　mountain；〃　I　said；　indicating　the　holy　summit　that　graced　the　view　from　my　balcony。　Actually；　it　was　one　of　many　balconies　I　could　claim　in　the　palace　I　had　been　given；　but　the　great　blue　Holy　Mountain　reflecting　in　the　river　had　made　this　one　my　favorite。　〃I　keep　telling　myself　to　be　patient；〃　I　continued；　〃but　when　patience　is　your　only　choice；　such　reminders　are　little　help。〃
　Janos　gave　his　beard　a　tug　and　laughed。　〃You　are　a　good　friend；　Amalric；〃　he　said。　〃But　I　am　your　good　friend　as　well。　So　I　know　you　hide　your　true　feelings　just　now。〃
　I　shrugged　and　laughed　with　him。　I　had　told　Janos　my　poor　opinion　of　the　prince；　and　he　had　brushed　it　off　as　sheer　speculation；　which　it　was。　〃When　I　speak　to　the　king；〃　I　said；　〃I　will　be　sure　to　press　him　for　a　。。。　shall　I　say　。。。　more　available　tutor。〃
　〃If　you　speak　to　the　king；〃　Janos　said；　the　laughter　quickly　gone。
　I　sighed　again；　this　time；　heartfelt。　〃Yes　。。。　If！　I　have　grown　to　despise　that　word。　Whenever　I　have　a　thought　there　is　always　an　if　leaping　out　to　trip　me。　If　only　I　could　see　the　king。　And　if　once　I　saw　him：　if　only　he　would　listen。　And　if　he　listened：　if　only　he　would　f