rh.theassassinsapprentice-第73部分

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　　　　　　　〃But　what　does　the　devouring　of　one　man　matter；　if　it　saves　a　kingdom。〃　Verity　did　not　bother　to　disguise　the　bitterness　in　his　voice；　and　to　me　it　was　plain　that　it　was　not　the　Skill　alone　that　he　spoke　of。　He　pushed　his　plate　away。　〃After　all；〃　he　added　with　ponderous　sarcasm；　〃it　is　not　as　if　you　do　not　have　yet　another　son　to　step　in　and　wear　your　crown。　One　unscarred　by　what　the　Skill　does　to　men。　One　free　to　wed　where　he　will；　or　will　not。〃
　　　　　　　〃It　is　not　Regal's　fault　that　he　is　unSkilled。　He　was　a　sickly　child；　too　sickly　for　Galen　to　train。　And　who　could　have　foreseen　that　two　Skilled　Princes　would　not　be　enough；〃　Shrewd　protested。　He　rose　abruptly　and　paced　the　length　of　the　chamber。　He　stood；　leaning　on　the　windowsill　and　peering　out　over　the　sea　below。　〃I　do　what　I　can；　son；〃　he　added　in　a　lower　voice。　〃Do　you　think　I　do　not　care；　that　I　do　not　see　how　you　are　being　consumed？〃
　　　　　　　Verity　sighed　heavily。　〃No。　I　know。　It　is　the　weariness　of　the　Skill　that　speaks　so；　not　I。　One　of　us；　at　least；　must　keep　a　clear　head　and　try　to　grasp　the　whole　of　what　is　happening。　For　me；　there　is　nothing　but　the　sensing　out；　and　then　the　sorting；　the　trying　to　fix　navigator　out　from　oarsman；　to　scent　out　the　secret　fears　that　the　Skill　can　magnify；　to　find　the　faint　hearts　in　the　crew　and　prey　upon　those　first。　When　I　sleep；　I　dream　them；　and　when　I　try　to　eat；　they　are　what　sticks　in　my　throat。　You　know　I　have　never　relished　this；　Father。　It　never　seemed　to　me　worthy　of　a　warrior；　to　skulk　and　spy　about　in　men's　minds。　Give　me　a　sword　and　I'll　willingly　explore　their　guts。　I'd　rather　unman　a　man　with　a　blade　than　turn　the　hounds　of　his　own　mind　to　nipping　at　his　heels。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　know；　I　know；〃　Shrewd　said　gently；　but　I　did　not　think　he　really　did。　I；　at　least；　did　understand　Verity's　distaste　for　his　task。　I　had　to　admit　I　shared　it；　and　felt　him　somehow　dirtied　by　it。　But　when　he　glanced　at　me；　my　face　and　eyes　were　empty　of　any　judgment。　Deeper　within　me　was　the　sneaking　guilt　that　I　had　failed　to　learn　the　Skill；　and　was　no　use　to　my　uncle　at　this　time。　I　wondered　if　he　looked　at　me；　and　thought　of　drawing　on　my　strength　again。　It　was　a　frightening　thought；　but　I　steeled　myself　to　the　request。　But　he　only　smiled　at　me　kindly；　if　absently；　as　if　no　such　thought　had　ever　crossed　his　mind。　And　as　he　rose　and　walked　past　my　chair；　he　tousled　my　hair　as　if　I　were　Leon。
　　　　　　　〃Take　my　dog　out　for　me；　even　if　it　is　only　for　rabbits。　I　hate　to　leave　him　in　my　rooms　each　day；　but　his　poor　dumb　pleading　was　a　distraction　from　what　I　must　do。〃
　　　　　　　I　nodded；　surprised　at　what　I　felt　emanating　from　him。　A　shadow　of　the　same　pain　I　had　felt　at　being　separated　from　my　own　dogs。
　　　　　　　〃Verity。〃
　　　　　　　He　turned　at　Shrewd's　call。
　　　　　　　〃Almost　I　forgot　to　tell　you　why　I　had　called　you　here。　It　is；　of　course；　the　mountain　princess。　Ketkin；　I　think　her　name　was　。。。。
　　　　　　　〃Kettricken。　I　at　least　remember　that　much。　A　skinny　little　child；　the　last　time　I　saw　her。　So；　she　is　the　one　you　have　selected？〃
　　　　　　　〃Yes。　For　all　the　reasons　we　have　already　discussed。　And　a　day　has　been　set。　Ten　days　before　our　Harvest　Feast。　You　will　have　to　leave　here　during　the　first　part　of　Reaptime　in　order　to　reach　there　in　time。　There　will　be　a　ceremony　there；　before　her　own　people；　binding　the　two　of　you　and　sealing　all　the　agreements；　and　a　formal　wedding　later；　when　you　arrive　back　here　with　her。　Regal　sends　word　that　you　must…〃
　　　　　　　Verity　had　halted；　and　his　face　darkened　with　frustration。　〃I　cannot。　You　know　I　cannot。　If　I　leave　off　my　work　here　while　it　is　still　Reaptime；　there　will　be　nothing　to　bring　a　bride　back　to。　Always；　the　Outislanders　have　been　greediest　and　most　reckless　in　the　final　month　before　the　winter　storms　drive　them　back　to　their　own　wretched　shore。　Do　you　think　it　will　be　any　different　this　year？　Like　as　not　I　would　bring　Kettricken　back　here　to　find　them　feasting　in　our　own　Buckkeep；　with　your　head　on　a　pike　to　greet　me！〃
　　　　　　　King　Shrewd　looked　angered；　but　kept　his　temper　as　he　asked；　〃Do　you　really　think　they　could　press　us　that　greatly　if　you　gave　off　your　efforts　for　twenty　days　or　so？〃
　　　　　　　〃I　know　it；〃　Verity　said　wearily。　〃I　know　it　as　surely　as　I　know　that　I　should　be　at　my　post　right　now；　not　arguing　here　with　you。　Father；　tell　them　it　must　be　put　off。　I'll　go　for　her　as　soon　as　we've　a　good　coat　of　snow　on　the　ground；　and　a　blessed　gale　lashing　all　ships　into　their　ports。〃
　　　　　　　〃It　cannot　be；〃　Shrewd　said　regretfully。　〃They　have　beliefs　of　their　own；　up　in　the　mountains。　A　wedding　made　in　winter　yields　a　barren　harvest。　You　must　take　her　in　the　fall；　when　the　lands　are　yielding；　or　in　late　spring；　when　they　till　their　little　mountain　fields。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　cannot。　By　the　time　spring　es　to　their　mountains；　it　is　fair　weather　here；　with　Raiders　on　our　doorsills。　Surely　they　must　understand　that！〃　Verity　moved　his　head　about；　like　a　restless　horse　on　a　short　lead。　He　did　not　want　to　be　here。　Distasteful　as　he　found　his　Skill　work；　it　called　to　him。　He　wanted　to　go　to　it；　wanted　it　in　a　way　that　had　nothing　to　do　with　protecting　his　kingdom。　I　wondered　if　Shrewd　knew　that。　I　wondered　if　Verity　did。
　　　　　　　〃To　understand　something　is　one　thing；〃　the　King　expounded。　〃To　insist　they　flaunt　their　traditions　is　another。　Verity；　this　must　be　so；　done　now。〃　Shrewd　rubbed　his　head　as　if　it　pained　him。　〃We　need　this　joining。　We　need　her　soldiers；　we　need　her　marriage　gifts；　we　need　her　father　at　our　back。　It　cannot　wait。　Could　not　you　perhaps　go　in　a　closed　litter；　unhampered　by　managing　a　'horse；　and　continue　your　Skill　work　as　you　travel？　It　might　even　do　you　good　to　get　out　and　about　a　bit；　to　have　a　little　fresh　air　and…〃
　　　　　　　〃NO！〃　Verity　bellowed　the　word；　and　Shrewd　turned　where　he　stood；　almost　as　if　he　were　at　bay　against　the　windowsill。　Verity　advanced　to　the　table　and　pounded　upon　it；　showing　a　temper　I　had　never　suspected　in　him。　〃No　and　no　and　no！　I　cannot　do　the　work　I　must　do　to　keep　the　Raiders　from　our　coast　while　being　rocked　and　jolted　in　a　horse　litter。　And　no；　I　will　not　go　to　this　bride　you　have　chosen　for　me；　to　this　woman　I　scarce　recall；　in　a　litter　like　an　invalid　or　a　witling。　I　will　not　have　her　see　me　so；　nor　would　I　have　my　men　sniggering　behind　me；　saying；　'Oh；　this　is　what　brave　Verity　has　e　to；　riding　like　a　palsied　old　man；　pandered　off　to　some　woman　as　if　he　were　an　Outislander　whore。'　Where　are　your　wits　that　you　can　think　such　stupid　plans？　You've　been　among　the　mountain　folk；　you　know　their　ways。　Think　you　a　woman　of　theirs　would　accept　a　man　who　came　to　her　in　such　a　sickly　way？　Even　their　royals　expose　a　child　if　it　is　born　less　than　whole。　You'd　spoil　your　own　plan；　and　leave　the　Six　Duchies　to　the　Raiders　while　you　did　it。〃
　　　　　　　〃Then　perhaps…〃
　　　　　　　〃Then　perhaps　there　is　a　Red…Ship　right　now；　not　so　far　that　they　cannot　see　Egg　Island；　and　already　the　captain　of　it　is　discounting　the　dream　of　ill　omen　he　had　last　night；　and　the　navigator　is　correcting　his　course；　wondering　how　he　could　have　so　mistaken　the　landmarks　of　our　coastline。　Already　all　the　work　I　did　last　night　while　you　slept　and　Regal　danced　and　drank　with　his　courtiers　is　ing　undone；　while　we　stand　here　and　yatter　at　one　another。　Father；　arrange　it。　Arrange　it　any　way　you　wish　and　can；　so　long　as　it　does　not　involve　me　doing　anything　save　the　Skill　while　fair　weather　plagues　our　coast。〃　Verity　had　been　moving　as　he　spoke；　and　the　slamming　of　the　King's　chamber　door　almost　drowned　out　his　final　words。
　　　　　　　Shrewd　stood　and　stared　at　the　door　for　some　moments。　Then　he　passed　his　hand　across　his　eyes；　rubbing　them；　but　for　weariness　or　tears　or　just　a　bit　of　dust；　I　could　not　tell。　He　looked　about　the　room；　frowning　when　his　eyes　encountered　me；　as　if　I　were　a　thing　puzzlingly　out　of　place。　Then；　as　if　recalling　why　I　were　there；　he　observed　dryly；　〃Well；　that　went　well；　didn't　it？　Still　and　all；　a　way　must　be　found。　And　when　Verity　rides　to　claim　his　bride；　you　will　go　with　him。〃
　　　　　　　〃If　you　wish；　my　king；〃　I　said　quietly。
　　　　　　　〃I　do。〃　He　cleared　his　throat；　then　turned　to　look　out　his　window　again。　〃The　Princess　has　a　single　sibling；　an　older　brother。　He　is　not　a　healthy　man。　Oh；　he　was　well　and　strong　once；　but　on　the　Ice　Fields　he　took　an　arrow　through　his　chest。　Passed　clean　through　him；　so　Regal　was　told。　And　the　wounds　on　his　chest　and　back　healed。　But　in　winters；　he　coughs　blood；　and　in　summer　he　cannot　sit　a　horse　nor　drill　his　men　for　more　than　half　the　morning。　Knowing　the　mountain　folk；　it　is　full　surprising　that　he　is　their　King…in…Waiting。〃
　　　　　　　I　thought　quietly　for　a　moment。　〃Among　the　mountain　folk　the　custom　is　the　same　as　ours。　Male　or　female；　the　offspring　inherit；　by　the　order　of　their　birth。〃
　　　　　　　〃Yes。　That　is　so；〃　Shrewd　said　quietly；　and　I　knew　that　already　he　was　thinking　that　Seven　Duchies　might　be　stronger　than　Six。
　　　　　　　〃And　Princess　Kettricken's　father；〃　I　asked；　〃how　is　his　health？〃
　　　　　　　〃As　hale　and　hearty　as　one　could　wish；　for　a　man　of　his　years。　I　am　sure　he　will　reign　long　and　well；　for　at　least　another　decade；　keeping　his　kingdom　whole　and　safe　for　his　heir。〃
　　　　　　　〃Probably　by　then　our　troubles　with　the　Red…Ships　will　long　be　over。　Verity　w