rh.royalassassin-第133节

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　　　　　　　At　midmorning　I　was　admitted　to　the　Queen's　chamber。　I　brought　with　me　a　number　of　scrolls　on　herbs。　Kettricken　was　reclining　on　a　couch　before　the　hearth；　playing　the　part　of　both　bereaved　wife　and　anxious　mother…to…be。　I　could　see　that　it　wore　on　her；　and　that　her　fall　had　caused　her　more　pain　in　truth　than　she　cared　to　admit。　She　looked　little　better　than　she　had　the　night　before；　but　I　greeted　her　warmly　and　proceeded　to　work　my　way　through　every　herb　listed；　one　after　the　other；　with　much　discussion　as　to　the　benefits　of　each。　I　succeeded　in　boring　most　of　her　ladies　away；　and　she　finally　dismissed　the　last　three　to　bring　tea；　find　her　more　pillows；　and　look　for　another　scroll　on　herbs　that　Kettricken　said　was　in　Verity's　study。　Little　Rosemary　had　long　since　dozed　off　in　a　warm　corner　by　the　hearth。　As　soon　as　the　rustle　of　their　skirts　had　faded；　I　spoke　quickly；　knowing　I　had　little　time。
　　　　　　　〃You　will　be　leaving　tomorrow　night；　after　the　King…in…Waiting　ceremony；〃　I　told　her；　and　spoke　on　although　she　had　parted　her　lips　to　ask　a　question。　〃Dress　warmly　and　take　winter　things。　Not　many。　Go　to　your　bedchamber　alone；　as　early　as　you　decently　can。　Plead　that　the　ceremony　and　your　grief　have　exhausted　you。　Send　your　attendants　away；　say　you　must　sleep；　and　tell　them　not　to　e　back　until　you　summon　them。　Bar　your　door。　No。　Only　listen。　There　is　little　time。　Ready　yourself　to　leave；　and　then　stay　in　your　room。　One　will　e　for　you。　Trust　the　Pocked　Man。　The　King　is　going　with　you。　Trust　me；〃　I　told　her　desperately　as　we　heard　returning　footsteps。　〃All　else　will　be　arranged。　Trust　me。〃
　　　　　　　Trust。　I　did　not　trust　that　any　of　it　would　e　to　pass。　Daffodil　was　back　with　the　pillows；　and　shortly　after　that；　the　tea　arrived。　We　chatted　amiably；　and　one　of　Kettricken's　younger　ladies　even　flirted　with　me。　Queen　Kettricken　asked　me　to　leave　the　herbal　scrolls　with　her；　as　her　back　still　pained　her。　She　had　decided　she　would　retire　early　this　evening；　and　perhaps　the　scrolls　would　help　her　while　away　the　time　before　she　slept。　I　made　my　gracious　farewells　and　escaped。
　　　　　　　Chade　had　said　he　would　handle　the　Fool。　I　had　made　my　pathetic　attempts　at　planning　the　escape。　Now　all　that　remained　was　for　me　somehow　to　arrange　for　the　King　to　be　alone　after　the　ceremony。　A　few　minutes　were　all　Chade　had　asked　for。　I　wondered　if　I　would　have　to　give　my　life　for　them。　I　put　the　notion　aside。　Just　a　few　minutes。　The　two　broken　doors　would　be　a　hindrance　or　a　help。　I　wasn't　sure　which。　I　considered　all　the　obvious　ploys。　I　could　feign　drunkenness　and　bait　the　guards　out　to　fight。　Unless　I　had　an　ax；　it　wouldn't　take　them　more　than　a　few　minutes　to　deal　with　me。　Plain　fisticuffs　had　never　worked　very　well　for　me。　No。　I　wanted　to　remain　functional。　I　considered　and　rejected　a　dozen　schemes。　Too　much　depended　on　factors　I　couldn't　control。　How　many　guards　would　be　there；　would　they　be　ones　I　knew；　would　Wallace　be　there；　would　Regal　have　dropped　by　for　a　chat？
　　　　　　　On　my　earlier　foray　to　Kettricken's　room；　I　had　noticed　that　makeshift　curtains　had　been　tacked　up　over　the　splintered　door　frames　of　the　King's　chambers。　Most　of　the　wreckage　had　been　carried　off；　but　bits　of　oaken　door　still　littered　the　corridor。　No　workmen　had　been　called　in　to　do　repairs。　Another　sign　that　Regal　had　no　intention　of　ever　returning　to　Buckkeep。
　　　　　　　I　tried　to　find　some　excuse　to　introduce　myself　into　that　room。　The　Keep　downstairs　was　busier　than　ever；　for　today　the　Dukes　of　Bearns；　Rippon；　and　Shoaks　Duchies　were　expected　to　arrive　with　their　retinues　to　witness　the　King…in…Waiting　ceremony　for　Regal。　They　were　being　put　in　the　lesser　guest　rooms；　across　the　Keep。　I　wondered　how　they　would　react　to　the　sudden　disappearance　of　the　King　and　Queen。　Would　it　be　seen　as　treachery；　or　would　Regal　find　some　way　to　conceal　it　from　them？　What　would　it　auger　for　his　new　reign　to　begin　so？　I　put　it　from　my　mind；　it　wasn't　helping　me　get　the　King　alone　in　his　chamber。
　　　　　　　I　left　my　room　and　went　pacing　through　Buckkeep；　hoping　for　inspiration。　Instead　I　found　only　confusion。　Noble　folk　of　every　degree　were　arriving　for　Regal's　ceremony；　and　the　influx　of　guests　and　their　households　and　servants　swept　and　eddied　about　the　outflow　of　goods　and　folk　that　Regal　was　sending　inland。　My　feet　carried　me　unplanned　to　Verity's　study。　The　door　was　ajar　and　I　went　in。　The　hearth　was　cold；　the　room　musty　with　disuse。　There　was　a　distinct　odor　of　mouse　in　the　air。　I　hoped　whatever　scrolls　they　were　nesting　in　weren't　irreplaceable。　I　was　fairly　certain　I　had　removed　the　ones　Verity　treasured　to　Chade's　rooms。　I　walked　about　the　room；　touching　his　things。　I　suddenly　missed　him　acutely。　His　unyielding　steadiness；　his　calmness；　his　strength；　he　would　never　have　let　things　e　to　such　a　situation。　I　sat　down　in　his　work　chair　at　his　map　table。　Scuffs　and　scribbles　of　ink　where　he　had　tried　colors　on　it　marred　the　tabletop。　Here　were　two　badly　cut　quills；　discarded　with　a　brush　worn　hairless。　In　a　box　on　the　table　were　several　little　pots　of　color；　cracked　and　dried　now。　They　smelled　like　Verity　to　me；　in　the　same　way　that　leather　and　harness　oil　always　smelled　like　Burrich。　I　leaned　forward　on　the　table　and　put　my　head　in　my　hands。　〃Verity；　we　need　you　now。〃
　　　　　　　I　cannot　e。
　　　　　　　I　leaped　to　my　feet；　my　legs　tangling　in　the　chair's；　and　fell　on　the　rug。　Frantically　I　scrabbled　to　my　feet；　and　even　more　frantically　scrabbled　after　the　contact。　Verity！
　　　　　　　I　hear　you。　What　is　it；　boy？　A　pause。　You've　reached　me　on　your　own；　have　you？　Well　done！
　　　　　　　We　need　you　to　e　home　right　now！
　　　　　　　Why？
　　　　　　　Thoughts　tumbled　so　much　faster　than　words；　and　in　far　greater　detail　than　he　could　have　wished　to　know。　I　felt　him　grow　sad　with　the　information；　and　wearier。　e　home。　If　you　were　here；　you　could　put　it　all　to　rights。　Regal　could　not　claim　to　be　King…in…Waiting；　he　could　not　strip　Buckkeep　like　this；　or　take　away　the　King。
　　　　　　　I　cannot。　Be　calm　now。　Think　this　through。　I　could　not　e　home　in　time　to　prevent　any　of　this。　It　grieves　me。　But　I　am　too　close　now　to　give　up　my　goal。　And　if　I　am　to　be　a　father　…　his　thoughts　were　warm　with　this　new　feeling　…　it　bees　even　more　important　that　I　succeed。　My　goal　must　be　to　retain　the　Six　Duchies　intact；　and　with　a　coast　freed　of　sea　wolves。　This；　for　the　child　to　inherit。
　　　　　　　What　am　I　to　do？
　　　　　　　Just　as　you　have　planned。　My　father；　my　wife；　and　my　child；　it　is　a　weighty　burden　I　have　put　upon　you。　He　sounded　suddenly　uncertain。
　　　　　　　I　will　do　what　I　can　do；　I　told　him；　fearing　to　promise　any　more　than　that。
　　　　　　　I　have　faith　in　you。　He　paused。　Did　you　feel　that？
　　　　　　　What？
　　　　　　　Another　is　here；　trying　to　break　in；　to　listen　on　our　Skilling。　One　of　Galen's　spying　brood　of　vipers。
　　　　　　　I　did　not　think　that　possible！
　　　　　　　Galen　found　a　way；　and　schooled　his　poisonous　offspring　in　it。　Skill　no　more　to　me　now。
　　　　　　　I　felt　something　similar　to　when　he　had　broken　our　Skill　contact　the　last　time　to　save　Shrewd's　strength；　but　much　rougher。　A　surging　outward　of　Verity's　Skill　that　pushed　someone　away　from　us。　I　thought　I　felt　the　effort　it　cost　him。　Our　Skill　contact　broke。
　　　　　　　He　was　gone；　as　abruptly　as　I　had　found　him。　I　groped　tentatively　after　our　contact；　found　nothing。　What　he　had　said　about　another　listening　in　on　us　rattled　me。　Fear　warred　with　triumph　in　me。　I　had　Skilled。　We　had　been　spied　upon。　But　I　had　Skilled；　alone　and　unaided！　But　how　much　had　they　overheard？　I　pushed　back　the　chair　from　the　table；　sat　a　moment　longer　in　the　storm　of　my　thoughts。　Skilling　had　been　easy。　I　still　didn't　know　quite　how　I　had　initiated　it；　but　it　had　been　easy。　I　felt　like　a　child　who　had　worked　a　puzzle　box；　but　was　unable　to　recall　the　exact　sequence　of　moves。　The　knowledge　that　it　could　be　done　made　me　want　instantly　to　attempt　it　again。　I　set　the　temptation　aside　firmly。　I　had　other　tasks　to　acplish；　ones　of　far　more　weight。
　　　　　　　I　sprang　up　and　rushed　out　of　the　study；　almost　tripping　over　Justin。　He　sat；　legs　outstretched；　with　his　back　against　the　wall。　He　looked　drunk。　I　knew　better。　He　was　half…stunned　by　the　push　Verity　had　given　him。　I　brought　myself　up　short　and　stared　down　at　him。　I　knew　I　should　kill　him。　The　poison　I　had　posed　for　Wallace　so　long　ago　still　rode　in　a　pocket　in　my　cuff。　I　could　force　it　down　his　throat。　But　it　was　not　designed　to　act　quickly。　As　if　he　could　guess　my　thoughts；　he　cowered　away　from　me；　scrabbling　along　the　wall。
　　　　　　　For　a　moment　longer　I　stared　at　him；　striving　to　think　calmly。　I　had　promised　Chade　to　take　no　more　actions　on　my　own　without　consulting　him。　Verity　had　not　bid　me　find　and　kill　the　spy。　He　could　have；　in　less　than　an　instant　of　thought。　This　decision　did　not　belong　to　me。　One　of　the　hardest　things　I　have　ever　done　was　to　force　myself　to　walk　away　from　Justin。　Half　a　dozen　strides　down　the　hall；　I　suddenly　heard　him　blurt；　〃I　know　what　you've　been　doing！〃
　　　　　　　I　rounded　to　confront　him。　〃What　are　you　talking　about？〃　I　asked　in　a　low　voice。　My　heart　began　to　thunder。　I　hoped　he'd　make　me　kill　him。　Frightening　to　know　suddenly　how　badly　I　wanted　to。
　　　　　　　He　blanched　but　did　not　back　down。　He　reminded　me　of　a　braggart　child。　〃You　walk　like　you　ar