rh.royalassassin-第147节

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；　as　he　thought　of　them。　Chade　he　remembered　well；　chiefly　for　a　fat　beef　bone　bestowed　on　Nighteyes　at　their　parting。
　　　　　　　Did　they　speak　to　one　another？
　　　　　　　Overly　much。　I　left　them　yipping　to　one　another。
　　　　　　　Try　as　I　might；　that　was　really　all　he　had　for　me。　It　was　enough　that　I　knew　the　plans　had　changed　drastically　and　at　the　last　minute。　Odd。　I　had　been　willing　to　lay　down　my　life　for　Kettricken；　but　at　the　last　accounting；　I　was　not　sure　how　I　felt　about　giving　up　my　horse。　Then　I　recalled　I　would　probably　never　ride　a　horse　again；　save　the　one　that　carried　me　to　the　hanging　tree。　At　least　Sooty　had　gone　with　someone　I　cared　about。　And　Ruddy。　Why　those　two　horses？　And　only　those　two？　Had　Burrich　been　unable　to　get　others　out　of　the　stable？　Was　that　why　he　had　not　gone？
　　　　　　　The　quill　hurts；　Nighteyes　reminded　me。　I　cannot　eat　for　the　pain。
　　　　　　　I　wish　I　could　e　to　help　you；　but　I　cannot。　You　must　ask　Heart　of　the　Pack。
　　　　　　　Cannot　you　ask　him　to　do　it？　He　does　not　push　you。
　　　　　　　I　smiled　to　myself。　He　did　once。　It　was　enough；　I　learned　from　it。　But　if　you　go　to　him；　asking　for　help；　he　will　not　repel　you。
　　　　　　　Cannot　you　ask　him　to　help　me？
　　　　　　　I　cannot　speak　to　him　as　we　speak。　And　he　is　too　far　away　for　me　to　yip　at　him。
　　　　　　　I　will　try；　then；　Nighteyes　said　doubtfully。
　　　　　　　I　let　him　go。　I　thought　of　trying　to　make　him　understand　my　situation。　I　decided　against　it。　There　was　nothing　he　could　do；　it　would　only　distress　him。　Nighteyes　would　tell　Burrich　I　had　sent　him；　Burrich　would　know　I　was　still　alive。　There　was　little　else　to　convey　that　he　would　not　already　know。
　　　　　　　A　long　slow　time　passed　then。　I　measured　it　in　the　small　ways　I　could。　The　torch　Regal　had　left　burned　out。　The　guard　changed。　Someone　came　and　put　food　and　water　through　my　door。　I　had　not　asked　for　it。　I　wondered　if　that　meant　a　very　long　time　had　passed　since　I　had　last　eaten。　The　guard　changed　again。　These　were　a　chatty　pair；　a　man　and　a　woman。　But　they　spoke　in　low　voices；　and　all　I　heard　were　the　murmurs；　and　the　laughter。　Some　sort　of　a　ribald　flirtation　between　the　two；　I　surmised。　Interrupted　by　someone's　arrival。
　　　　　　　The　friendly　chatter　suddenly　ceased。　Low　murmurs；　in　a　very　respectful　tone。　My　stomach　roiled　cold　inside　me。　Quietly　I　came　to　my　feet；　crept　to　my　door。　I　peered　through　the　doors　toward　the　guards'　station。
　　　　　　　He　came　like　a　shadow　down　the　hall。　Silently。　Not　furtive。　He　was　so　unobtrusive；　he　did　not　need　to　worry　about　being　furtive。　This　was　Skill　as　I　had　never　seen　it　used　before。　I　felt　the　hairs　on　the　back　of　my　neck　hackle　when　Will　stopped　outside　the　door　and　looked　in　at　me。　He　did　not　speak　and　I　dared　not。　Even　looking　at　him　was　giving　him　too　much　of　an　opening　to　myself。　Yet　I　feared　to　look　away。　The　Skill　shimmered　around　him　like　an　aura　of　awareness。　I　coiled　deep　inside　myself；　tighter　and　tighter；　pulling　back　everything　I　felt　or　thought；　slamming　my　walls　up　as　swiftly　as　I　could；　but　knowing；　somehow；　that　even　those　walls　told　him　much　about　me。　Even　my　defenses　were　a　way　for　this　one　to　read　me。　Even　as　my　mouth　and　throat　went　dry　with　fear；　a　question　hovered。　Where　had　he　been？　What　had　been　so　important　to　Regal　that　he　had　set　Will　upon　it　rather　than　using　him　to　secure　the　crown？
　　　　　　　White　ship。
　　　　　　　The　answer　came　to　me　from　deep　within　me；　founded　on　a　connection　so　deep　I　could　not　unearth　it。　But　I　did　not　doubt　it。　I　looked　at　him；　considering　him　in　conjunction　with　the　white　ship。　He　frowned。　I　felt　an　increase　in　the　tension　between　us；　a　pressing　of　the　Skill　against　my　boundaries。　He　did　not　scrabble　or　pluck　at　me　like　Serene　and　Justin　had。　More　I　could　pare　it。　to　an　engagement　of　blades；　where　one　tests　the　strength　of　his　opponent's　attack。　I　balanced　myself　against　him；　knowing　that　if　I　wavered；　if　for　one　instant　I　did　not　hold　him　out；　he　would　slip　past　my　guard　and　skewer　my　soul。　His　eyes　widened　and　surprised　me　with　a　brief　look　of　uncertainty。　But　he　followed　it　with　a　smile　as　weling　as　a　shark's　maw。
　　　　　　　〃Ah；〃　he　sighed　out。　He　seemed　pleased。　He　stepped　back　from　my　door；　stretched　like　a　lazy　cat。　〃They　have　underestimated　you。　I　shall　not　make　that　mistake。　Well　I　know　the　advantages　one　gains　when　your　rival　undervalues　you。〃　Then　he　left；　neither　abruptly　nor　slowly；　but　like　smoke　drifts　away　on　a　breeze。　Here；　and　then　gone。
　　　　　　　After　he　was　gone；　I　went　back　to　my　slab　and　sat。　I　took　a　deep　breath　and　sighed　it　out　to　still　the　quivering　inside　me。　I　felt　I　had　passed　through　a　trial；　and　that　this　time；　at　least；　I　had　held　my　own。　I　leaned　back　against　the　cold　stone　wall　and　glanced　once　more　at　my　door。
　　　　　　　Will's　half…lidded　eyes　bored　into　me。
　　　　　　　I　leaped　up　so　suddenly　the　scabbed…over　injury　on　my　leg　tore　open　afresh。　I　glared　at　my　window。　Nothing。　He　was　gone。　Heart　hammering；　I　forced　myself　to　go　to　the　tiny　window　and　peer　out　it。　No　one　was　there；　that　I　could　see。　He　was　gone。　But　I　could　not　make　myself　believe　he　was　gone。
　　　　　　　I　limped　back　to　my　seat　and　sat　down　again；　gathering　Brawndy's　cloak　about　me。　I　stared　at　my　window；　looking　for　motion；　for　some　change　in　the　shadowy　light　from　the　guard's　torch；　for　anything　to　indicate　that　Will　lurked　outside　my　door。　There　was　nothing。　I　longed　to　quest　out；　Wit　and　Skill；　to　see　if　I　could　feel　him　out　there。　I　dared　not。　I　could　not　venture　out　of　myself　without　leaving　a　way　for　another　to　push　in。
　　　　　　　I　set　my　guards　about　my　thoughts　and；　a　few　moments　later；　reset　them。　The　harder　I　tried　to　calm　myself；　the　fiercer　my　panic　became　when　it　rose。　I　had　been　fearing　physical　torture。　Now　the　sour　fear　sweat　trickled　down　my　ribs　and　the　sides　of　my　face　as　I　considered　all　that　Will　could　do　to　me　if　he　got　past　my　walls。　Once　he　got　inside　my　head；　I　would　stand　before　all　the　Dukes　and　tell　in　detail　how　I　had　killed　King　Shrewd。　Regal　had　invented　for　me　something　worse　than　merely　dying。　I　could　go　to　my　death　a　self…proclaimed　coward　and　traitor　as　well。　I　would　cower　at　Regal's　feet　and　beg　his　forgiveness　before　all。
　　　　　　　I　think　the　time　that　passed　was　a　night。　I　slept　for　none　of　it；　save　to　doze　off　and　then　wake　with　a　start　from　a　dream　of　eyes　at　my　window。　I　dared　not　even　reach　out　to　Nighteyes　for　fort；　and　I　hoped　he　would　not　try　to　reach　me　with　thoughts。　I　came　out　of　such　a　doze　with　a　start；　thinking　I　had　heard　footsteps　down　the　hall。　My　eyes　were　sandy；　my　head　ached　with　my　vigilance；　and　my　muscles　were　knotted　from　tension。　I　stayed　where　I　was　on　the　bench；　conserving　every　bit　of　strength　that　I　had。
　　　　　　　The　door　was　flung　open。　A　guard　thrust　a　torch　into　my　cell；　then　cautiously　followed　it。　Two　other　guards　followed。　〃You。　On　your　feet！〃　barked　the　one　with　the　torch。　Farrow　was　in　his　accent。
　　　　　　　I　saw　no　point　in　refusing　to　obey。　I　stood　up；　letting　Brawndy's　cloak　fall　back　on　the　bench。　Their　leader　made　a　curt　gesture；　and　I　fell　in　between　the　two　guards。　There　were　four　others　outside　my　cell；　waiting。　Regal　was　taking　no　chances。　None　of　them　were　men　I　knew。　They　all　wore　the　colors　of　Regal's　guard。　I　could　tell　their　orders　by　the　looks　on　their　faces。　I　gave　them　no　excuses。　They　took　me　down　the　hall　a　short　ways；　past　the　deserted　guard　post；　to　the　larger　chamber　that　served　once　as　a　guardroom。　It　had　been　cleared　of　furniture；　save　for　a　fortable　chair。　Every　sconce　boasted　a　torch；　making　the　room　painfully　bright　to　my　light　deprived　eyes。　The　guards　left　me　standing　in　the　middle　of　the　room　and　joined　others　lining　the　walls。　Habit　more　than　hope　made　me　assess　my　situation。　I　counted　fourteen　guards。　Surely　that　was　an　excess；　even　for　me。　Both　doors　to　the　chamber　were　closed。　We　waited。
　　　　　　　Waiting；　standing；　in　a　brightly　lit　room　surrounded　by　hostile　men　can　be　underestimated　as　a　form　of　torture。　I　tried　to　stand　quietly；　to　shift　my　weight　unobtrusively。　I　rapidly　grew　tired。　It　was　frightening　to　discover　how　quickly　starvation　and　inactivity　had　weakened　me。　I　felt　almost　a　sense　of　relief　when　the　door　finally　opened。　Regal　entered；　followed　by　Will。　Will　was　quietly　remonstrating　with　him。
　　　　　　　〃。。。　unnecessary。　Another　night　or　so　would　be　all　I　required。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　prefer　this；〃　Regal　said　acidly。
　　　　　　　Will　bowed　his　head　in　silent　assent。　Regal　was　seated；　and　Will　took　a　position　behind　his　left　shoulder。　Regal　considered　me　for　a　moment；　then　leaned　back　negligently　in　his　chair。　He　cocked　his　head　to　one　side　and　breathed　out　through　his　nose。　He　lifted　a　finger；　indicated　a　man。　〃Bolt。　You。　I　want　nothing　broken。　When　we　have　what　we　want；　I'll　want　to　make　him　presentable　once　more。　You　understand。〃
　　　　　　　Bolt　nodded　briefly。　He　stripped　off　his　winter　cloak　and　let　it　fall；　pulled　off　his　shirt　as　well。　The　other　men　watched　stony…eyed。　From　some　long…ago　discussion　with　Chade；　a　small　bit　of　advice　came　to　mind。　〃You　can　hold　out　longer　under　torture　if　you　focus　on　what　you　will　say　rather　than　what　you　won't。　I've　heard　of　men　repeating　the　same　phrase；　over　and　over；　long　past　the　point　where　they　could　hear　the　questions　anymore。　By　focusing　on　what　you　will　say；　you　make　it　less　likely　you'll　say　that　whic