rh.royalassassin-第32部分

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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。　Kettricken　and　Regal　on　horseback。　They　rode　side　by　side。　Together。　They　looked　like　an　illustration　from　one　of　Fedwren's　best　vellums。　Regal　was　in　scarlet　and　gold　with　glossy　black　boots　and　black　gloves。　His　riding　cloak　was　flung　back　from　one　shoulder；　to　display　the　brilliant　contrast　of　the　colors　as　they　billowed　in　the　morning　wind。　The　wind　had　brought　a　redness　of　the　outdoors　to　his　cheeks；　and　tousled　his　black　hair　from　its　precise　arrangement　of　curls。　His　dark　eyes　shone。　Almost；　he　looked　a　man；　I　thought；　astride　the　tall　black　horse　that　carried　itself　so　well。　He　could　be　this　if　he　chose；　rather　than　the　languid　prince　with　always　a　glass　of　wine　in　hand　and　a　lady　beside　him。　Another　waste。
　　　　　　　Ah；　but　the　lady　beside　him　was　another　matter。　pared　with　the　entourage　that　followed　them；　she　showed　as　a　rare　and　foreign　blossom。　She　rode　astride　in　loose　trousers；　and　no　Buckkeep　dyeing　vat　had　produced　that　crocus　purple。　Her　trousers　were　adorned　with　intricate　embroideries　in　rich　colors；　and　tucked　securely　into　her　boot　tops。　Her　boots　came　almost　to　her　knee；　Burrich　would　have　approved　that　practicality。　She　wore；　not　a　cloak；　but　a　short　jacket　of　voluminous　white　fir；　with　a　high　collar　to　shield　her　neck　from　the　wind。　A　white　fox；　I　guessed；　from　the　tundra　on　the　far　side　of　the　Mountains。　Her　hands　were　gloved　in　black。　The　wind　had　played　with　her　long　yellow　hair；　streaming　it　out　and　tangling　it　over　her　shoulders。　Atop　her　head　was　a　knitted　cap　of　every　bright　color　I　could　imagine。　She　sat　her　horse　high　and　forward；　in　the　Mountain　style；　and　it　made　Softstep　think　she　must　prance　instead　of　walk。　The　chestnut　mare's　harness　was　a　jingle　with　tiny　silver　bells；　ringing　sharp　as　icicles　in　the　brisk　morning。　pared　with　the　other　women　in　their　voluminous　skirts　and　cloaks；　she　looked　agile　as　a　cat。
　　　　　　　She　brought　to　mind　an　exotic　warrior　from　a　northern　clime　or　an　adventurer　from　some　ancient　tale。　It　set　her　apart　from　her　ladies；　not　as　a　highborn　and　well…adorned　woman　shows　her　status　among　those　less　royal；　but　almost　as　a　hawk　would　appear　caged　with　songbirds。　I　was　not　sure　she　should　show　herself　so　to　her　subjects。　Prince　Regal　rode　at　Kettricken's　side；　smiling　and　talking　to　her。　Their　conversation　was　lively；　spiced　often　with　laughter。　As　I　approached　closer　I　let　Sooty　slow　her　pace。　Kettricken　reined　in；　smiling；　and　would　have　stopped　to　give　me　greeting；　but　Prince　Regal　nodded　icily　and　kneed　his　horse　to　a　trot。　Kettricken's　mare；　not　to　be　left　behind；　tugged　at　her　bit　and　kept　pace　with　him。　I　received　as　brisk　a　greeting　from　those　who　trailed　after　the　Queen　and　Prince。　I　halted　to　watch　them　pass；　and　then　continued　up　to　Buckkeep　with　an　uneasy　heart。　Kettricken's　face　had　been　animated；　her　pale　cheeks　pink　with　the　cold　air；　and　her　smile　at　Regal　had　been　as　genuinely　merry　as　the　occasional　smiles　she　still　gave　me。　Yet　I　could　not　believe　she　would　be　so　gullible　as　to　trust　him。
　　　　　　　I　pondered　this　while　I　unsaddled　Sooty　and　rubbed　her　down。　I　had　bent　down　to　check　her　hooves　when　I　felt　Burrich　watching　me　over　the　wall　of　the　stall。　I　asked　him；　〃For　how　long？〃
　　　　　　　He　knew　what　I　was　asking。
　　　　　　　〃He　began　a　few　days　after　you　left。　He　brought　her　down　here　one　day；　and　spoke　me　fair；　saying　he　thought　it　quite　a　shame　that　the　Queen　was　spending　all　her　days　shut　up　in　the　Keep。　She　was　used　to　such　an　open　and　hearty　life　up　in　the　Mountains。　He　claimed　he　had　allowed　her　to　persuade　him　to　teach　her　to　ride　as　we　rode　here　in　the　lower　lands。　Then　he　had　me　saddle　Softstep　with　the　saddle　Verity　had　made　for　his　queen；　and　off　they　went。　Well；　what　was　I　to　do　or　say？〃　he　asked　me　fiercely　as　I　turned　to　look　at　him　questioningly。　〃It　is　as　you　have　said　before。　We　are　King's　Men。　Sworn。　And　Regal　is　a　Prince　of　the　Farseer　house。　Even　if　I　were　faithless　enough　to　refuse　him；　there　was　my　queen…in…waiting；　expecting　me　to　fetch　her　horse　for　her　and　saddle　her。〃
　　　　　　　A　slight　motion　of　my　hand　reminded　Burrich　that　his