rh.royalassassin-第34节

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with　her　nose　at　Kettricken's　stirrup；　and　so　we　crested　the　hill　together；　glimpsing　the　lights　of　Buckkeep　briefly　before　we　plunged　down　the　other　side。
　　　　　　　There　was　brush　at　the　bottom　of　the　slope；　and　a　creek　hidden　by　the　snow；　so　I　kicked　Sooty　into　the　lead　and　turned　Softstep　before　she　could　blunder　into　it　and　fall。　Kettricken　said　nothing　as　I　turned　her　horse；　but　let　me　take　the　lead　as　we　entered　the　forest　on　the　other　side　of　the　stream。　I　moved　us　as　swiftly　as　I　dared；　expecting　always　figures　to　shout　and　leap　out　at　us。　But　we　made　the　road　at　last；　just　as　the　clouds　closed　up　again；　stealing　the　moonlight　from　us。　I　slowed　the　horses　and　let　them　breathe。　For　some　time　we　traveled　in　silence；　both　intently　listening　for　any　sounds　of　pursuit。
　　　　　　　After　a　time　we　felt　safer；　and　I　heard　Kettricken　let　out　her　pent　breath　in　a　long；　shaky　sigh。　〃Thank　you；　Fitz；〃　she　said　simply；　but　could　not　keep　her　voice　quite　steady。　I　made　no　ment；　half　expecting　that　at　any　moment　she　would　burst　into　weeping。　I　would　not　have　blamed　her。　Instead　she　gradually　gathered　herself；　tugging　her　clothes　straight；　wiping　her　blade　on　her　pants　and　then　resheathing　it　at　her　waist。　She　leaned　forward　to　pat　Softstep's　neck　and　murmur　words　of　praise　and　fort　to　the　horse。　I　felt　Softstep's　tension　ease　and　admired　Kettricken's　skill　to　have　so　swiftly　gained　the　confidence　of　the　tall　horse。
　　　　　　　〃How　came　you　here？　Seeking　me？〃　she　asked　at　last。
　　　　　　　I　shook　my　head。　Snow　was　beginning　to　fall　again。　〃I　was　out　hunting；　and　went　farther　than　I　had　intended。　It　was　but　good　fortune　that　brought　me　to　you。〃　I　paused；　then　ventured；　〃Did　you　get　lost？　Will　there　be　riders　searching　for　you？〃
　　　　　　　She　sniffed；　and　took　a　breath。　〃Not　exactly；〃　she　said　in　a　shaky　voice。　〃I　went　out　riding　with　Regal。　A　few　others　rode　with　us；　but　when　the　storm　began　to　threaten；　we　all　turned　back　to　Buckkeep。　The　others　rode　on　before　us；　but　Regal　and　I　came　more　slowly。　He　was　telling　me　a　folktale　from　his　home　Duchy；　and　we　let　the　others　ride　ahead；　that　I　should　not　have　to　hear　it　through　their　chatter。〃　She　took　a　breath　and　I　heard　her　swallow　back　the　last　of　the　night's　terror。　Her　voice　was　calmer　when　she　went　on。
　　　　　　　〃The　others　were　far　ahead　of　us；　when　a　fox　started　up　suddenly　from　the　brush　by　the　path。　‘Follow　me；　if　you'd　like　to　see　real　sport！'　Regal　challenged　me；　and　he　turned　his　horse　from　the　path　and　set　off　after　the　animal。　Whether　I　would　or　no；　Softstep　sprang　after　them。　Regal　rode　like　a　mad　thing；　all　stretched　out　on　his　horse；　urging　it　on　with　a　quirt。〃　There　was　consternation；　and　wonder；　but　also　a　stain　of　admiration　in　her　voice　as　she　described　him。
　　　　　　　Softstep　had　not　answered　the　rein。　At　first　she　had　been　fearful　of　their　pace；　for　she　did　not　know　the　terrain　and　feared　that　Softstep　would　stumble。　So　she　had　tried　to　rein　in　her　mount。　But　when　she　had　realized　that　she　could　no　longer　see　the　road　or　the　others；　and　that　Regal　had　gotten　far　ahead　of　her；　she　had　given　Softstep　her　head；　in　the　hopes　of　catching　up。　With　the　predictable　result　that　as　the　storm　closed　in　she　had　lost　her　way　pletely。　She　had　turned　back　to　retrace　her　trail　to　the　road；　but　the　falling　snow　and　blowing　wind　had　quickly　erased　it。　At　last　she　had　given　Softstep　the　bit；　trusting　her　horse　to　find　her　way　home。　Probably　she　would　have；　if　those　wild　men　had　not　set　upon　her。　Her　voice　dwindled　away　into　silence。
　　　　　　　〃Forged　ones；〃　I　told　her　quietly。
　　　　　　　〃Forged　ones；〃　she　repeated　in　a　wondering　voice。　Then；　more　firmly：　〃They　have　no　hearts　left。　So　it　was　explained　to　me。〃　I　felt　more　than　saw　her　glance。　〃Am　I　so　poor　a　Sacrifice　that　there　are　folk　who　would　kill　me？〃
　　　　　　　In　the　distance　we　heard　the　winding　of　a　horn。　Searchers。
　　　　　　　〃They　would　have　set　upon　any　that　crossed　their　paths；〃　I　told　her。　〃For　them；　there　was　no　thought　that　it　was　their　queen…in…waiting　they　attacked。　I　doubt　greatly　that　they　knew　who　you　were　at　all。〃　I　closed　my　jaws　firmly　before　I　could　add　that　such　was　not　the　case　with　Regal。　If　he　had　not　intended　her　harm；　neither　had　he　kept　her　from　ing　to　it。　I　did　not　believe　he　had　ever　intended　to　show　her　〃sport〃　in　chasing　a　fox　across　snowy　hills　in　the　twilight。　He　had　meant　to　lose　her。　And　done　so　handily。
　　　　　　　〃I　think　my　lord　will　be　very　wroth　with　me；〃　she　said；　woeful　as　a　child。　As　if　in　answer　to　her　prediction；　we　rounded　the　shoulder　of　the　hill　and　saw　men　on　horseback　bearing　torches　ing　toward　us。　We　heard　the　horn　again；　more　clearly；　and　in　a　few　moments　we　were　among　them。　They　were　the　forerunners　of　the　main　search　party；　and　a　girl　set　out　at　once　galloping　back　to　tell　the　King…in…Waiting　that　his　queen　had　been　found。　In　the　light　of　the　torches；　Verity's　guards　exclaimed　and　swore　over　the　blood　that　glinted　yet　on　Softstep's　neck；　but　Kettricken　kept　her　posure　as　she　assured　them　that　none　of　it　was　hers。　She　spoke　quietly　of　the　Forged　ones　who　had　set　upon　her　and　what　she　had　done　to　defend　herself。　I　saw　admiration　of　her　growing　among　the　soldiers。　I　heard　then　for　the　first　time　that　the　boldest　attacker　had　dropped　out　of　a　tree　upon　her。　Him　she　had　slain　first。
　　　　　　　〃Four　she　done；　and　not　a　scratch　upon　her！〃　exulted　one　grizzled　veteran；　and　then：　〃Begging　your　pardon；　my　lady　queen。　No　disrespect　meant！　〃
　　　　　　　〃It　might　have　been　a　different　tale　had　not　Fitz　e　to　free　my　horse's　head；〃　Kettricken　said　quietly。　Their　respect　for　her　grew　as　she　did　not　glory　in　her　triumph；　but　made　sure　I　received　my　due　as　well。
　　　　　　　They　congratulated　her　loudly；　and　spoke　angrily　of　scouring　the　woods　tomorrow　all　about　Buckkeep。　〃It　shames　us　all　as　soldiers；　that　our　own　queen　cannot　ride　forth　safely！〃　declared　one　woman。　She　set　her　hand　to　the　hilt　of　her　blade　and　swore　on　it　to　have　it　blooded　with　Forged　blood　by　the　morrow。　Several　others　followed　her　example。　The　talk　grew　loud；　bravado　and　relief　at　the　Queen's　safety　fueling　it。　It　became　a　triumphal　procession　home；　until　Verity　arrived。　He　came　at　a　dead　gallop；　on　a　horse　lathered　by　both　distance　and　speed。　I　knew　then　that　the　search　had　not　been　a　brief　one；　and　could　only　guess　at　how　many　roads　Verity　had　traveled　since　he　had　received　word　his　lady　was　missing。
　　　　　　　〃How　could　you　be　so　foolish　as　to　go　so　far　astray！〃　were　his　first　words　to　her。　His　voice　was　not　tender。　I　saw　her　head　lose　its　proud　lift；　and　heard　the　muttered　ments　of　the　man　closest　to　me。　From　there　nothing　went　well。　He　did　not　scold　her　before　his　men；　but　I　saw　him　wince　as　she　told　him　plainly　what　had　bee　of　her　and　how　she　had　killed　to　defend　herself。　He　was　not　pleased　to　have　her　speak　so　plainly　of　a　band　of　Forged　ones；　brave　enough　to　attack　the　Queen；　and　scarce　out　of　Buckkeep's　shadow。　That　which　Verity　had　sought　to　keep　quiet　would　be　on　everyone's　lips　tomorrow；　with　the　added　fillip　that　it　had　been　the　Queen　herself　they'd　dared　to　attack。　Verity　shot　me　a　murderous　glance；　as　if　it　were　all　my　doing；　and　roughly　mandeered　fresh　horses　from　two　of　his　guard　to　take　himself　and　his　queen　back　to　Buckkeep。　He　whisked　her　away　from　them；　carrying　her　back　to　Buckkeep　at　a　gallop　as　if　arriving　there　sooner　would　somehow　make　the　breach　of　safety　less　real。　He　seemed　not　to　realize　he　had　denied　his　guard　the　honor　of　bringing　her　safely　home。
　　　　　　　I　myself　rode　back　slowly　with　them；　trying　not　to　hear　the　disgruntled　words　of　the　soldiers。　They　did　not　quite　criticize　the　King…in…Waiting；　but　plimented　the　Queen　more　on　her　spirit　and　thought　it　sad　she'd　not　been　weled　back　with　an　embrace　and　a　kind　word　or　two。　If　any　gave　thought　to　Regal's　behavior；　they　did　not　speak　it　aloud。
　　　　　　　Later　that　night；　in　the　stables；　after　I'd　seen　to　Sooty；　I　helped　Burrich　and　Hands　put　Softstep　and　Truth；　Verity's　horse；　to　rights。　Burrich　grumbled　at　how　hard　both　beasts　had　been　used。　Softstep　had　taken　a　minor　scratch　during　the　attack；　and　her　mouth　was　sore；　bruised　from　fighting　for　her　head；　but　neither　animal　would　take　permanent　hurt。　Burrich　sent　Hands　off　to　fix　a　warm　mash　of　grain　for　them　both。　Only　then　did　he　quietly　tell　how　Regal　had　e　in；　given　his　horse　over　for　stabling；　and　gone　up　to　the　Keep　without　so　much　as　mentioning　Kettricken。　Burrich　himself　had　been　alerted　by　a　stable　boy；　asking　where　Softstep　was。　When　Burrich　had　set　about　to　find　out；　and　made　so　bold　as　to　ask　Regal　himself；　Regal　had　replied　that　he　had　thought　Kettricken　had　stayed　on　the　road　and　e　in　with　her　attendants。　So　Burrich　had　been　the　one　to　sound　the　alarm；　with　Regal　very　vague　as　to　where　he　had　actually　left　the　road；　and　what　direction　the　fox　had　led　him；　and　presumably　Kettricken。　〃He's　covered　his　tracks　well；〃　Burrich　muttered　to　me　as　Hands　came　back　with　the　grain。　I　knew　he　did　not　refer　to　the　fox。
　　　　　　　My　feet　were　leaden　as　I　made　my　way　up　to　the　Keep　that　night；　and　my　heart　as　well。　I　did　not　want　to　imagine　what　Kettricken　was　feeling；　nor　did　I　care　to　consider　what　the　talk　was　in　the　guardroom。　I　pulled　off　my　clothes　and　fell　into　bed；　and　instantly　into　a　sleep。　Molly　was　waiting　for　me　in　my　dreams；　and　the　only　p