rh.royalassassin-第27节

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o　face　with　the　Raiders　at　our　doorstep；　without　internal　strife？　Still。　They　have　the　right　to　ask　it　of　me；　and　I　the　duty　to　oblige　any　who　asks。　Once　more　you　will　bear　the　King's　justice；　Fitz。〃
　　　　　　　He　told　me　concisely　of　the　situation　in　Bearns。　A　young　woman　from　Sealbay　had　e　to　Ripplekeep　to　offer　herself　to　Brawndy　as　a　warrior。　He　had　been　pleased　to　accept　her；　for　she　was　both　well　muscled　and　adept；　skilled　at　staves；　bows；　and　blades。　She　was　beautiful　as　well　as　strong；　small　and　dark　and　sleek　as　a　sea　otter。　She　had　been　a　wele　addition　to　his　guard；　and　soon　was　a　popular　figure　in　his　court　as　well。　She　had；　not　charm；　but　that　courage　and　strength　of　will　that　draws　others　to　follow。　Brawndy　himself　had　grown　fond　of　her。　She　enlivened　his　court　and　instilled　new　spirit　in　his　guard。
　　　　　　　But　lately　she　had　begun　to　fancy　herself　a　prophetess　and　soothsayer。　She　claimed　to　have　been　chosen　by　El　the　sea　god　for　a　higher　destiny。　Her　name　had　been　Madja；　her　parentage　unremarkable；　but　now　she　had　renamed　herself；　in　a　ceremony　of　fire；　wind；　and　water；　and　called　herself　Virago。　She　ate　only　meat　she　had　taken　herself；　and　kept　in　her　rooms　nothing　that　she　had　not　either　made　herself　or　won　by　show　of　arms。　Her　following　was　swelling；　and　included　some　of　the　younger　nobles　as　well　as　many　of　the　soldiers　under　her　mand。　To　all　she　preached　the　need　to　return　to　El's　worship　and　honor。　She　espoused　the　old　ways；　advocating　a　rigorous；　simple　life　that　glorified　what　a　person　could　win　by　her　own　strength。
　　　　　　　She　saw　the　Raiders　and　Forging　as　El's　punishment　for　our　soft　ways；　and　blamed　the　Farseer　line　for　encouraging　that　softness。　At　first　she　had　spoken　circumspectly　of　such　things。　Of　late；　she　had　bee　more　open；　but　never　so　bold　as　to　voice　outright　treason。　Still；　there　had　been　bullock　sacrifices　on　the　sea　cliffs；　and　she　had　blood…painted　a　number　of　young　folk　and　sent　them　out　on　spirit　quests　as　in　the　very　old　days。　Brawndy　had　heard　rumors　that　she　sought　a　man　worthy　of　herself；　who　would　join　her　to　throw　down　the　Farseer　throne。　They　would　rule　together；　to　begin　the　time　of　the　Fighter　and　put　an　end　to　the　days　of　the　Farmer。　According　to　Bearns；　quite　a　number　of　young　men　were　ready　to　vie　for　that　honor。　Brawndy　wished　her　stopped；　before　he　himself　had　to　accuse　her　of　treason；　and　force　his　men　to　choose　between　Virago　and　himself。　Shrewd　offered　the　opinion　that　her　following　would　probably　drop　off　drastically；　were　she　to　be　bested　at　arms；　or　have　a　severe　accident　or　bee　victim　to　a　wasting　illness　that　depleted　her　strength　and　beauty。　I　was　forced　to　agree　that　was　probably　so；　but　observed　that　there　were　many　cases　where　folks　who　died　became　like　gods　afterward。　Shrewd　said　certainly；　if　the　person　died　honorably。
　　　　　　　Then；　abruptly；　he　changed　the　topic。　In　Ripplekeep；　on　Sealbay；　there　was　an　old　scroll　that　Verity　wished　copied；　a　listing　of　all　those　from　Bearns　who　had　served　the　King　in　the　Skill；　as　coterie　members。　It　was　also　said　that　at　Ripplekeep　there　was　a　relic　from　the　days　of　the　Elderling　defense　of　that　city。　Shrewd　wished　me　to　leave　on　the　morrow；　to　go　to　Sealbay　and　copy　the　scrolls　and　to　view　the　relic　and　bring　him　a　report　of　it。　I　would　also　convey　to　Brawndy　the　King's　best　wishes　and　his　certainty　that　the　Duke's　unease　would　soon　be　put　to　rest。
　　　　　　　I　understood。
　　　　　　　As　I　stood　to　leave；　Shrewd　raised　a　finger　to　bid　me　pause。　I　stood；　waiting。
　　　　　　　〃And　do　you　feel　I　am　keeping　my　bargain　with　you？〃　he　asked。　It　was　the　old　question；　the　one　he　had　always　asked　me　after　our　meetings　when　I　was　a　boy。　It　made　me　smile。
　　　　　　　〃Sir；　I　do；〃　I　said　as　I　always　had。
　　　　　　　〃Then　see　that　you　keep　your　end　of　it　as　well。〃　He　paused；　then　added；　as　he　never　had　before；　〃Remember；　FitzChivalry。　Any　injury　done　to　one　of　my　own　is　an　injury　to　me。〃
　　　　　　　〃Sir？〃
　　　　　　　〃You　would　not　injure　one　of　mine；　would　you？〃
　　　　　　　I　drew　myself　up。　I　knew　what　he　asked　for；　and　I　ceded　it　to　him。　〃Sir；　I　will　not　injure　one　of　yours。　I　am　sworn　to　the　Farseer　line。〃
　　　　　　　He　nodded　slowly。　He　had　wrung　an　apology　from　Regal；　and　from　me　my　word　that　I　would　not　kill　his　son。　He　probably　believed　he　had　made　peace　between　us。　Outside　his　door；　I　paused　to　push　the　hair　back　from　my　eyes。　I　had　just　made　a　promise；　I　reminded　myself。　I　considered　it　carefully　and　forced　myself　to　look　at　what　it　could　cost　me　to　keep　it。　Bitterness　flooded　me；　until　I　pared　what　it　would　cost　me　should　I　break　it。　Then　I　found　the　reservations　in　myself；　crushed　them　firmly。　I　formed　a　resolve；　to　cleanly　keep　my　promise　to　my　king。　I　had　no　true　peace　with　Regal；　but　at　least　I　could　have　that　much　peace　with　myself。　The　decision　left　me　feeling　better；　and　I　strode　purposefully　down　the　hall。
　　　　　　　I　had　not　replenished　my　stocks　of　poisons　since　I　had　returned　from　the　Mountains。　Nothing　green　showed　outside　now。　I'd　have　to　steal　what　I　needed。　The　wool　dyers　would　have　some　I　might　use；　and　the　healer's　stock　would　yield　me　others。　My　mind　was　busy　with　this　planning　as　I　started　down　the　stairs。
　　　　　　　Serene　was　ing　up　the　stairs。　When　I　saw　her；　I　halted　where　I　was。　The　sight　of　her　made　me　quail　as　Regal　had　not。　It　was　an　old　reflex。　Of　all　Galen's　coterie；　she　was　now　the　strongest。　August　had　retired　from　the　field；　gone　far　inland　to　live　in　orchard　country　and　be　a　gentleman　there。　His　Skill　had　been　entirely　blasted　out　of　him　during　the　final　encounter　that　marked　the　end　of　Galen。　Serene　was　now　the　key　Skill　user　of　the　coterie。　In　summers；　she　remained　at　Buckkeep；　and　all　the　other　members　of　the　coterie；　scattered　to　towers　and　keeps　up　and　down　our　long　coast；　channeled　all　their　reports　to　the　King　through　her。　During　winter；　the　entire　coterie　came　to　Buckkeep；　to　renew　their　bonds　and　fellowship。　In　the　absence　of　a　Skill　Master；　she　had　assumed　much　of　Galen's　status　at　Buckkeep。　She　had　also　assumed；　with　great　enthusiasm；　Galen's　passionate　hatred　of　me。　She　reminded　me　too　vividly　of　past　abuses；　and　inspired　in　me　a　dread　that　would　not　yield　to　logic。　I　had　avoided　her　since　my　return；　but　now　her　gaze　pinned　me。
　　　　　　　The　staircase　was　more　than　sufficiently　wide　to　allow　two　people　to　pass。　Unless　one　person　deliberately　planted　herself　in　the　middle　of　a　step。　Even　looking　up　at　me；　I　felt　she　had　the　advantage。　Her　bearing　had　changed　since　we　had　been　Galen's　students　together。　Her　whole　physical　appearance　reflected　her　new　position。　Her　midnight…blue　robe　was　richly　embroidered。　Her　long　black　hair　was　bound　back　intricately　with　burnished　wire　strung　with　ivory　ornaments。　Silver　graced　her　throat　and　ringed　her　fingers。　But　her　femaleness　was　gone。　She　had　adopted　Galen's　ascetic　values；　for　her　face　was　thinned　to　bone；　her　hands　to　claws。　As　he　had；　she　burned　with　self…righteousness。　It　was　the　first　time　she　had　directly　accosted　me　since　Galen's　death。　I　halted　above　her；　with　no　idea　of　what　she　wanted　from　me。
　　　　　　　〃Bastard；〃　she　said　flatly。　It　was　a　naming；　not　a　greeting。　I　wondered　if　that　word　would　ever　lose　its　sting　with　me。
　　　　　　　〃Serene；〃　I　said；　as　tonelessly　as　I　could　manage。
　　　　　　　〃You　did　not　die　in　the　Mountains。〃
　　　　　　　〃No。　I　did　not。〃
　　　　　　　Still　she　stood　there；　blocking　my　way。　Very　quietly　she　said；　〃I　know　what　you　did。　I　know　what　you　are。〃
　　　　　　　Inside；　I　was　quivering　like　a　rabbit。　I　told　myself　it　was　probably　taking　every　bit　of　Skill　strength　she　had　to　impose　this　fear　on　me。　I　told　myself　that　it　was　not　my　true　emotion；　but　only　what　her　Skill　suggested　I　should　feel。　I　forced　words　from　my　throat。
　　　　　　　〃I；　too；　know　what　I　am。　I　am　a　King's　Man。〃
　　　　　　　〃You　are　no　kind　of　a　man　at　all；〃　she　asserted　calmly。　She　smiled　up　at　me。　〃Someday　everyone　will　know　that。〃
　　　　　　　Fear　feels　remarkably　like　fear；　regardless　of　the　source。　I　stood；　making　no　response。　Eventually；　she　stepped　aside　to　allow　me　to　pass。　I　made　a　small　victory　of　that；　though　in　retrospect　there　was　little　else　she　could　have　done。　I　went　to　ready　things　for　my　trip　to　Bearns；　suddenly　glad　to　leave　the　Keep　for　a　few　days。
　　　　　　　I　have　no　good　memories　of　that　errand。　I　met　Virago；　for　she　was　herself　a　guest　at　Ripplekeep　while　I　was　there　doing　my　scribe　tasks。　She　was　as　Shrewd　had　described　her；　a　handsome　woman；　well　muscled；　who　moved　lithe　as　a　little　hunting　cat。　She　wore　the　vitality　of　her　health　like　a　glamour。　All　eyes　followed　her　when　she　was　in　a　room。　Her　chastity　challenged　every　male　who　followed　her。　Even　I　felt　myself　drawn　to　her；　and　agonized　about　my　task。
　　　　　　　Our　very　first　evening　at　table　together；　she　was　seated　across　from　me。　Duke　Brawndy　had　made　me　very　wele　indeed；　even　to　having　his　cook　prepare　a　certain　spicy　meat　dish　I　was　fond　of。　His　libraries　were　at　my　disposal；　and　the　services　of　his　lesser　scribe。　His　youngest　daughter　had　even　extended　her　shy　panionship　to　me。　I　was　discussing　my　scroll　errand　with　Celerity；　who　surprised　me　with　her　soft…spoken　intelligence。　Midway　through　the　meal；　Virago　remarked　quite　clearly　to　her　dining　panion　that　at　one　time　bastards　were　drowned　at　birth。　The　old　ways　of　El　demanded　it；　she　said。　I　coul