rh.theassassinsapprentice-第27部分

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　　　　　　　〃That　is　your　decision　to　make。　But　I　advise　you　against　it；　for　now。〃
　　　　　　　His　calmness　caught　me　off　guard。　〃Why？〃
　　　　　　　〃Because　it　would　negate　all　Chivalry　tried　to　do　for　you。　It　would　draw　attention　to　you。　And　right　now；　that's　not　a　good　idea。〃　His　words　came　ponderously　slow；　freighted　with　truth。
　　　　　　　〃Why？〃　I　found　I　was　whispering。
　　　　　　　〃Because　some　will　be　wanting　to　write　finis　to　Chivalry's　story　pletely。　And　that　would　be　best　done　by　eliminating　you。　Those　ones　will　be　watching　how　you　react　to　your　father's　death。　Does　it　give　you　ideas　and　make　you　restless？　Will　you　bee　a　problem　now；　the　way　he　was？〃
　　　　　　　〃What？〃
　　　　　　　〃My　boy；〃　he　said；　and　pulled　me　close　against　his　side。　For　the　first　time　I　heard　the　possession　in　his　words。　〃It　is　a　time　for　you　to　be　quiet　and　careful。　I　understand　why　Burrich　cut　your　hair；　but　in　truth　I　wish　he　had　not。　I　wish　no　one　had　been　reminded　that　Chivalry　was　your　father。　You　are　such　a　hatchling　yet　。。。　but　listen　to　me。　For　now；　change　nothing　that　you　do。　Wait　six　months；　or　a　year。　Then　decide。　But　for　now…〃
　　　　　　　〃How　did　my　father　die？〃
　　　　　　　Chade's　eyes　searched　my　face。　〃Did　you　not　hear　that　he　fell　from　a　horse？〃
　　　　　　　〃Yes。　And　I　heard　Burrich　curse　the　man　who　told　it；　saying　that　Chivalry　would　not　fall；　nor　would　that　horse　throw　him。〃
　　　　　　　〃Burrich　needs　to　guard　his　tongue。〃
　　　　　　　〃Then　how　did　my　father　die？〃
　　　　　　　〃I　don't　know。　But　like　Burrich；　I　do　not　believe　he　fell　from　a　horse。〃　Chade　fell　silent。　I　sank　down　to　sit　by　his　bony　bare　feet　and　stare　into　his　fire。
　　　　　　　〃Are　they　going　to　kill　me；　too？〃
　　　　　　　He　was　silent　a　long　while。　〃I　don't　know。　Not　if　I　can　help　it。　I　think　they　must　first　convince　King　Shrewd　it　is　necessary。　And　if　they　do　that；　I　shall　know　of　it。〃
　　　　　　　〃Then　you　think　it　es　from　within　the　keep。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　do。〃　Chade　waited　long；　but　I　was　silent；　refusing　to　ask。　He　answered　anyway。　〃I　knew　nothing　of　it　before　it　happened。　I　had　no　hand　in　it　in　any　way。　They　didn't　even　approach　me　about　it。　Probably　because　they　know　I　would　have　done　more　than　just　refuse。　I　would　have　seen　to　it　that　it　never　happened。〃
　　　　　　　〃Oh。〃　I　relaxed　a　little。　But　already　he　had　trained　me　too　well　in　the　ways　of　court　thinking。　〃Then　they　probably　won't　e　to　you　if　they　decide　they　want　me　done。　They'd　be　afraid　of　your　warning　me　as　well。〃
　　　　　　　He　took　my　chin　in　his　hand　and　turned　my　face　so　that　I　looked　into　his　eyes。　〃Your　father's　death　should　be　all　the　warning　you　need；　now　or　ever。　You're　a　bastard；　boy。　We're　always　a　risk　and　a　vulnerability。　We're　always　expendable。　Except　when　we　are　an　absolute　necessity　to　their　own　security。　I've　taught　you　quite　a　bit；　these　last　few　years。　But　hold　this　lesson　closest　and　keep　it　always　before　you。　If　ever　you　make　it　so　they　don't　need　you；　they　will　kill　you。〃
　　　　　　　I　looked　at　him　wide…eyed。　〃They　don't　need　me　now。〃
　　　　　　　〃Don't　they？　I　grow　old。　You　are　young；　and　tractable；　with　the　face　and　bearing　of　the　royal　family。　As　long　as　you　don't　show　any　inappropriate　ambitions；　you'll　be　fine。〃　He　paused；　then　carefully　emphasized；　〃We　are　the　King's；　boy。　His　exclusively；　in　a　way　perhaps　you　have　not　thought　about。　No　one　knows　what　I　do　and　most　have　forgotten　who　I　am。　Or　was。　If　any　know　of　us；　it　is　from　the　King。〃
　　　　　　　I　sat　putting　it　cautiously　together。　〃Then　。。。　you　said　it　came　from　within　the　keep。　But　if　you　were　not　used；　then　it　was　not　from　the　King　。。。。　The　Queen！〃　I　said　it　with　sudden　certainty。
　　　　　　　Chade's　eyes　guarded　his　thoughts。　〃That's　a　dangerous　assumption　to　make。　Even　more　dangerous　if　you　think　you　must　act　on　it　in　some　way。〃
　　　　　　　〃Why？〃
　　　　　　　Chade　sighed。　〃When　you　spring　to　an　idea；　and　decide　it　is　truth；　without　evidence；　you　blind　yourself　to　other　possibilities。　Consider　them　all；　boy。　Perhaps　it　was　an　accident。　Perhaps　Chivalry　was　killed　by　someone　he　had　offended　at　Withywoods。　Perhaps　it　had　nothing　to　do　with　him　being　a　prince。　Or　perhaps　the　King　has　another　assassin；　one　I　know　nothing　about；　and　it　was　the　King's　own　hand　against　his　son。〃
　　　　　　　〃You　don't　believe　any　of　those；〃　I　said　with　certainty。
　　　　　　　〃No。　I　don't。　Because　I　have　no　evidence　to　declare　them　truth。　Just　as　I　have　no　evidence　to　say　your　father's　death　was　the　Queen's　hand　striking。〃
　　　　　　　That　is　all　I　remember　of　our　conversation　then。　But　I　am　sure　that　Chade　had　deliberately　led　me　to　consider　who　might　have　acted　against　my　father；　to　instill　in　me　a　greater　wariness　of　the　Queen。　I　held　the　thought　close　to　me；　and　not　just　in　the　days　that　immediately　followed。　I　kept　myself　to　my　chores；　and　slowly　my　hair　grew；　and　by　the　beginning　of　real　summer　all　seemed　to　have　returned　to　normal。　Once　every　few　weeks　I　would　find　myself　sent　off　to　town　on　errands。　I　soon　came　to　see　that　no　matter　who　sent　me；　one　or　two　items　on　the　list　wound　up　in　Chade's　quarters；　so　I　guessed　who　was　behind　my　little　bouts　of　freedom。　I　did　not　manage　to　spend　time　with　Molly　every　time　I　went　to　town；　but　it　was　enough　for　me　that　I　would　stand　outside　the　window　of　her　shop　until　she　noticed　me；　and　at　least　exchange　a　nod。　Once　I　heard　someone　in　the　market　talking　about　the　quality　of　her　scented　candles；　and　how　no　one　had　made　such　a　pleasant　and　healthful　taper　since　her　mother's　day。　And　I　smiled　for　her　and　was　glad。
　　　　　　　Summer　came；　bringing　warmer　weather　to　our　coasts；　and　with　it　the　Outislanders。　Some　came　as　honest　traders；　with　cold　lands'　goods　to　trade…furs　and　amber　and　ivory　and　kegs　of　oil…and　tall　tales　to　share；　ones　that　still　could　prickle　my　neck　just　as　they　had　when　I　was　small。　Our　sailors　did　not　trust　them；　and　called　them　spies　and　worse。　But　their　goods　were　rich；　and　the　gold　they　brought　to　purchase　our　wines　and　grains　was　solid　and　heavy；　and　our　merchants　took　it。
　　　　　　　And　other　Outislanders　also　visited　our　shores；　though　not　too　close　to　Buckkeep　hold。　They　came　with　knives　and　torches；　with　bows　and　rams；　to　plunder　and　rape　the　same　villages　they　had　been　plundering　and　raping　for　years。　Sometimes　it　seemed　an　elaborate　and　bloody　contest；　they　to　find　villages　unaware　or　underarmed　and　for　us　to　lure　them　in　with　seemingly　vulnerable　targets　and　then　slaughter　and　plunder　the　pirates　themselves。　But　if　it　were　a　contest；　it　went　very　badly　for　us　that　summer。　My　every　visit　to　town　was　heavy　with　the　news　of　destruction　and　the　mutterings　of　the　people。
　　　　　　　Up　at　the　keep；　among　the　men…at…arms；　there　was　a　collective　feeling　of　doltishness　that　I　shared。　The　Outislanders　eluded　our　patrol　ships　with　ease　and　never　fell　into　our　traps。　They　struck　where　we　were　undermanned　and　least　expecting　it。　Most　disfited　of　all　was　Verity；　for　to　him　had　fallen　the　task　of　defending　the　kingdom　once　Chivalry　had　abdicated。　I　heard　it　muttered　in　the　taverns　that　since　he　had　lost　his　elder　brother's　good　counsel；　all　had　gone　sour。　No　one　spoke　against　Verity　yet；　but　it　was　unsettling　that　no　one　spoke　out　strongly　for　him　either。
　　　　　　　Boyishly；　I　viewed　the　raids　as　a　thing　impersonal　to　me。　Certainly　they　were　bad　things；　and　I　felt　sorry　in　a　vague　way　for　those　villagers　whose　homes　were　torched　or　plundered。　But　secure　at　Buckkeep；　I　had　very　little　feeling　for　the　constant　fear　and　vigilance　that　other　seaports　endured；　or　for　the　agonies　of　villagers　who　rebuilt　each　year；　only　to　see　their　efforts　torched　the　next。　I　was　not　to　keep　my　ignorant　innocence　long。
　　　　　　　I　went　down　to　Burrich　for　my　〃lesson〃　one　morning；　though　I　spent　as　much　time　doctoring　animals　and　teaching　young　colts　and　fillies　as　I　did　in　being　taught。　I　had　very　much　taken　over　Cob's　place　in　the　stables；　while　he　had　gone　on　to　being　Regal's　groom　and　dog　man。　But　that　day；　to　my　surprise；　Burrich　took　me　upstairs　to　his　room　and　sat　me　down　at　his　table。　I　dreaded　spending　a　tedious　morning　repairing　tack。
　　　　　　　〃I'm　going　to　teach　you　manners　today；〃　Burrich　announced　suddenly。　There　was　doubt　in　his　voice；　as　if　he　were　skeptical　of　my　ability　to　learn　such。
　　　　　　　〃With　horses？〃　I　asked　incredulously。
　　　　　　　〃No。　You've　those　already。　With　people。　At　table；　and　afterward；　when　folk　sit　and　talk　with　one　another。　Those　sorts　of　manners。〃
　　　　　　　〃Why？〃
　　　　　　　Burrich　frowned。　〃Because　for　reasons　I　don't　understand；　you're　to　acpany　Verity　when　he　goes　to　Neatbay　to　see　Duke　Kelvar　of　Rippon。　Lord　Kelvar　has　not　been　cooperating　with　Lord　Shemshy　in　manning　the　coastal　towers。　Shemshy　accuses　him　of　leaving　towers　pletely　without　watches；　so　that　the　Outislanders　are　able　to　sail　past　and　even　anchor　outside　of　Watch　Island；　and　from　there　raid　Shemshy's　villages　in　Shoaks　Duchy。
　　　　　　　Prince　Verity　is　going　to　consult　with　Kelvar　about　these　allegations。〃
　　　　　　　I　grasped　the　situation　pletely。　It　was　mon　gossip　around　Buckkeep　Town。　Lord　Kelvar　of　Rippon　Duchy　had　three　watchtowers　in　his　keeping。　The　two　that　bracketed　the　points　of　Neatbay　were　always　well　manned；　for　they　protected　the　best　harbor　in　Rippon　Duchy。　But　the　tower　on　Watch　Island　protected　little　of　Rippon　that　was　worth　much　to　Lord　Kelvar；　his　high　and　rocky　coastline　sheltered　few　villages；　and　would…be　rai