rh.royalassassin-第8节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　　　　　　　〃No；　Fool；〃　I　told　him　sadly。　〃Shall　I　eat　and　be　warm；　while　the　bodies　of　children　are　cooling　in　the　mud？　Fetch　me　instead　my　robe　and　buskins。　And　then　be　off　to　find　Verity。〃
　　　　　　　The　Fool　stood　his　ground　boldly。　〃Do　you　think　the　disfort　you　inflict　on　yourself　will　give　even　one　child　another　breath；　my　liege？　What　happened　at　Siltbay　is　done。　Why　must　you　suffer？〃
　　　　　　　〃Why　must　I　suffer？〃　I　found　a　smile　for　the　Fool。　〃Surely　that　is　the　same　question　that　every　inhabitant　of　Siltbay　asked　tonight　of　the　fog。　I　suffer；　my　fool；　because　they　did。　Because　I　am　king。　But　more；　because　I　am　a　man；　and　I　saw　what　happened　there。　Consider　it；　Fool。　What　if　every　man　in　the　Six　Duchies　said　to　himself；　‘Well；　the　worst　that　can　befall　them　has　already　happened。　Why　should　I　give　up　my　meal　and　warm　bed　to　concern　myself　with　it？'　Fool；　by　the　blood　that　is　in　me；　these　are　my　folk。　Do　I　suffer　more　tonight　than　any　one　of　them　did？　What　is　the　pain　and　trembling　of　one　man　pared　with　what　happened　at　Siltbay？　Why　should　I　shelter　myself　while　my　folk　are　slaughtered　like　cattle？〃
　　　　　　　〃But　two　words　are　all　I　need　say　to　Prince　Verity。〃　The　Fool　vexed　me　with　more　words。　〃　‘Raiders'　and　‘Siltbay；'　and　he　knows　as　much　as　any　man　needs　to。　Let　me　rest　you　in　your　bed；　my　lord；　and　then　I　shall　race　to　him　with　those　words。〃
　　　　　　　〃No。〃　A　fresh　cloud　of　pain　blossomed　in　the　back　of　my　skull。　It　tried　to　push　the　sense　from　my　thoughts；　but　I　held　firm。　I　forced　my　body　to　walk　to　the　chair　beside　the　hearth。　I　managed　to　lower　myself　into　it。　〃I　spent　my　youth　defining　the　borders　of　the　Six　Duchies　to　any　who　challenged　them。　Should　my　life　be　too　valuable　to　risk　now；　when　there　is　so　little　left　of　it；　and　all　of　that　riddled　with　pain？　No；　Fool。　Fetch　my　son　to　me　at　once。　He　shall　Skill　for　me；　since　my　own　strength　for　it　is　at　an　end　this　night。　Together；　we　shall　consider　what　we　see；　and　make　our　decisions　as　to　what　must　be　done。　Now　go。　GO！〃
　　　　　　　The　Fool's　feet　pattered　on　the　stone　floor　as　he　fled。
　　　　　　　I　was　left　alone　with　myself。　Myselves：　I　put　my　hands　to　my　temples。　I　felt　a　painful　smile　crease　my　face　as　I　found　myself。　So；　boy。　There　you　are。　My　king　slowly　turned　his　attention　to　me。　He　was　weary；　but　he　reached　his　Skill　toward　me　to　touch　my　mind　as　softly　as　blowing　spiderweb。　I　reached　clumsily；　attempting　to　plete　the　Skill　bond　and　it　all　went　awry。　Our　contact　tattered；　fraying　apart　like　rotten　cloth。　And　then　he　was　gone。
　　　　　　　I　hunkered　alone　on　the　floor　of　my　bedchamber　in　the　Mountain　Kingdom；　unfortably　close　to　the　hearth　fire。　I　was　fifteen；　and　my　nightclothes　were　soft　and　clean。　The　fire　in　the　hearth　had　burned　low。　My　blistered　fingers　throbbed　angrily。　The　beginnings　of　a　Skill　headache　pulsed　in　my　temples。
　　　　　　　I　moved　slowly；　cautiously　as　I　rose。　Like　an　old　man？　No。　Like　a　young　man　whose　health　was　still　mending。　I　knew　the　difference　now。
　　　　　　　My　soft；　clean　bed　beckoned；　like　a　soft　clean　tomorrow。
　　　　　　　I　refused　them　both。　I　took　the　chair　by　the　hearth　and　stared　into　the　flames；　pondering。
　　　　　　　When　Burrich　came　at　first　light　to　bid　me　farewell；　I　was　ready　to　ride　with　him。
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　CHAPTER　TWO
　　　　　　　The　Homeing
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　BUCKKEEP　HOLD　OVERLOOKS　the　finest　deep…water　harbor　in　the　Six　Duchies。　To　the　north；　the　Buck　River　spills　into　the　sea；　and　with　its　waters　carries　most　of　the　goods　exported　from　the　interior　Duchies　of　Tilth　and　Farrow'　Steep　black　cliffs　provide　the　seat　for　the　castle；　which　overlooks　the　river　mouth；　the　harbor；　and　the　waters　beyond。　The　town　of　Buckkeep　clings　precariously　to　those　cliffs；　well　away　from　the　great　river's　floodplain；　with　a　good　portion　of　it　built　on　docks　and　quays。　The　original　stronghold　was　a　log　structure　built　by　the　original　inhabitants　of　the　area　as　a　defense　against　Outislander　raids。　It　was　seized　in　ancient　time；　by　a　raider　named　Taker；　who　with　the　seizing　of　the　fort　became　a　resident。　He　replaced　the　timber　structure　with　walls　and　towers　of　black　stone　quarried　from　the　cliffs　themselves；　and　in　the　process　sank　the　foundations　of　Buckkeep　deep　into　the　stone。　With　each　succeeding　generation　of　the　Farseer　line；　the　walls　were　forted　and　the　towers　built　taller　and　stouter。　Since　Taker；　the　founder　of　the　Farseer　line；　Buckkeep　has　never　fallen　to　enemy　hands。
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　Snow　kissed　my　face；　wind　pushed　the　hair　back　from　my　forehead。　I　stirred　from　a　dark　dream　to　a　darker　one；　to　a　winterscape　in　forestland。　I　was　cold；　save　where　the　rising　heat　of　my　toiling　horse　warmed　me。　Beneath　me；　Sooty　was　plodding　stolidly　along　through　wind…banked　snow。　I　thought　I　had　been　riding　long。　Hands　the　stable　boy　was　riding　before　me。　He　turned　in　his　saddle　and　shouted　something　back　to　me。
　　　　　　　Sooty　stopped；　not　abruptly；　but　I　was　not　expecting　it；　and　I　nearly　slid　from　the　saddle。　I　caught　at　her　mane　and　steadied　myself。　Steadily　falling　flakes　veiled　the　forest　around　us。　The　spruce　trees　were　heavy　with　accumulated　snow；　while　the　interspersed　birches　were　bare　black　silhouettes　in　the　clouded　winter　moonlight。　There　was　no　sign　of　a　trail。　The　woods　were　thick　around　us。　Hands　had　reined　in　his　black　gelding　in　front　of　us；　and　that　was　why　Sooty　halted。　Behind　me　Burrich　sat　his　roan　mare　with　the　practiced　ease　of　the　lifelong　horseman。
　　　　　　　I　was　cold；　and　shaky　with　weakness。　I　looked　around　dully；　wondering　why　we　had　stopped。　The　wind　gusted　sharply；　snapping　my　damp　cloak　against　Sooty's　flank。　Hands　pointed　suddenly。　〃There！〃　He　looked　back　at　me。　〃Surely　you　saw　that？〃
　　　　　　　I　leaned　forward　to　peer　through　snow　that　fell　like　fluttering　lace　curtains。　〃I　think　so；〃　I　said；　the　wind　and　falling　snow　swallowing　my　words。　For　an　instant　I　had　glimpsed　tiny　lights。　They　had　been　yellow　and　stationary；　unlike　the　pale　blue　will　o'　the　wisps　that　still　occasionally　plagued　my　vision。
　　　　　　　〃Do　you　think　it's　Buckkeep？〃　Hands　shouted　through　the　rising　wind。
　　　　　　　〃It　is；〃　Burrich　asserted　quietly；　his　deep　voice　carrying　effortlessly。　〃I　know　where　we　are　now。　This　is　where　Prince　Verity　killed　that　big　doe　about　six　years　ago。　I　remember　because　she　leaped　when　the　arrow　went　in；　and　tumbled　down　that　gully。　It　took　us　the　rest　of　the　day　to　get　down　there　and　pack　the　meat　out。〃
　　　　　　　The　gully　he　gestured　to　was　no　more　than　a　line　of　brush　glimpsed　through　the　falling　snow。　But　suddenly　it　all　snapped　into　place　for　me。　The　lay　of　this　hillside；　the　types　of　trees；　the　gully　there；　and　so　Buckkeep　was　that　way；　just　a　brief　ride　before　we　could　clearly　see　the　fortress　on　the　sea　cliffs　overlooking　the　bay　and　Buckkeep　Town　below。　For　the　first　time　in　days；　I　knew　with　absolute　certainty　where　we　were。　The　heavy　overcast　had　kept　us　from　checking　our　course　by　the　stars；　and　the　unusually　deep　snowfall　had　altered　the　lay　of　the　land　until　even　Burrich　had　seemed　unsure。　But　now　I　knew　that　home　was　but　a　brief　ride　away。　In　summer。　But　I　picked　up　what　was　left　of　my　determination。
　　　　　　　〃Not　much　farther；〃　I　told　Burrich。
　　　　　　　Hands　had　already　started　his　horse。　The　stocky　little　gelding　surged　ahead　bravely；　breaking　trail　through　the　banked　snow。　I　nudged　Sooty　and　the　tall　mare　reluctantly　stepped　out。　As　she　leaned　into　the　hill　I　slid　to　one　side。　As　I　scrabbled　futilely　at　my　saddle　Burrich　nudged　his　horse　abreast　of　mine。　He　reached　out；　seized　me　by　the　back　of　my　collar；　and　dragged　me　upright　again。　〃It's　not　much　farther；〃　he　agreed。　〃You'll　make　it。〃
　　　　　　　I　managed　a　nod。　It　was　only　the　second　time　he'd　had　to　steady　me　in　the　last　hour　or　so。　One　of　my　better　evenings；　I　told　myself　bitterly。　I　pulled　myself　up　straighter　in　the　saddle；　resolutely　squared　my　shoulders。　Nearly　home。
　　　　　　　The　journey　had　been　long　and　arduous。　The　weather　had　been　foul；　and　the　constant　hardships　had　not　improved　my　health。　Much　of　it　I　remembered　like　a　dark　dream；　days　of　jolting　along　in　the　saddle；　barely　cognizant　of　our　path；　nights　when　I　lay　between　Hands　and　Burrich　in　our　small　tent　and　trembled　with　a　weariness　so　great　I　could　not　even　sleep。　As　we　had　drawn　closer　to　Buck　Duchy　I　had　thought　our　travel　would　bee　easier。　I　had　not　reckoned　on　Burrich's　caution。
　　　　　　　At　Turlake；　we　had　stopped　a　night　at　an　inn。　I　had　thought　that　we'd　take　passage　on　a　river　barge　the　next　day；　for　though　ice　might　line　the　banks　of　the　Buck　River；　its　strong　current　kept　a　channel　clear　year…round。　I　went　straight　to　our　room；　for　I　had　not　much　stamina。　Burrich　and　Hands　were　both　anticipating　hot　food　and　panionship；　to　say　nothing　of　ale。　I　had　not　expected　them　to　e　soon　to　the　room。　But　scarcely　two　hours　had　passed　before　they　both　came　up　to　ready　themselves　for　bed。
　　　　　　　Burrich　was　grim　and　silent；　but　after　he　had　gone　to　bed；　Hands　whispered　to　me　from　his　bed　how　poorly　the　King　was　spoken　of　in　this　town。　〃Had　they　known　we　were　from　Buckkeep；　I　doubt　they　would　have　spoken　so　freely。　But　clad　as　we　are　in　Mountain　garments；　they　thought　us　traders　or　merchants。　A　dozen　times　I　thought　Burrich　would　challenge　one　of　them。　In　truth；　I　do　not　know　how　he　contained　himself。　All　plain　about　the　taxes　for　defendin