rh.theassassinsapprentice-第81部分

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m　to　think　I　am　much　older　than　that；〃　she　confided　in　me。
　　　　　　　〃Well；　you　are　younger　than　Verity；　then。　But　not　so　much　more　than　between　many　wives　and　husbands。　He　will　be　thirty…three　this　spring。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　had　thought　him　much　older　than　that；〃　she　said　wonderingly。　〃Regal　explained　they　share　but　a　father。〃
　　　　　　　〃It　is　true　that　Chivalry　and　Verity　were　both　sons　of　King　Shrewd's　first　queen；　but　there　is　not　that　great　a　span　between　them。　And　Verity；　when　he　is　not　burdened　with　the　problems　of　state；　is　not　so　dour　and　severe　as　you　might　imagine　him。　He　is　a　man　who　knows　how　to　laugh。〃
　　　　　　　She　cast　me　a　sideways　glance；　as　if　to　see　if　I　was　trying　to　put　a　better　face　on　Verity　than　he　deserved。
　　　　　　　〃It　is　true；　Princess。　I　have　seen　him　laugh　like　a　child　at　the　puppet　shows　at　Springfest。　And　when　all　join　in　for　luck　at　the　fruit　press　to　make　fall　wine；　he　does　not　hold　back。　But　his　greatest　pleasure　has　always　been　the　hunt。　He　has　a　wolfhound；　Leon；　whom　he　holds　dearer　than　some　men　hold　their　sons。〃
　　　　　　　〃But；〃　Kettricken　ventured　to　interrupt；　〃surely　this　is　as　he　was；　once。　For　Regal　speaks　of　him　as　a　man　older　than　his　years；　bent　down　by　the　cares　of　his　people。〃
　　　　　　　〃Bent　down　as　a　tree　burdened　by　snow；　that　springs　erect　again　with　the　ing　of　spring。　His　last　words　to　me　before　I　left；　Princess；　were　to　desire　me　to　speak　well　of　him　to　you。〃
　　　　　　　She　cast　her　eyes　down　quickly；　as　if　to　hide　from　me　the　sudden　lift　of　her　heart。　〃I　see　a　different　man；　When　you　speak　of　him。〃　She　paused；　and　then　closed　her　mouth　firmly；　forbidding　herself　the　request　I　heard　anyway。
　　　　　　　〃I　have　always　seen　him　as　a　kind　man。　As　kind　as　one　lifted　to　such　a　responsibility　can　be。　He　takes　his　duties　very　seriously；　and　will　not　spare　himself　from　what　his　folk　need　of　him。　This　it　is　that　has　made　him　unable　to　e　here；　to　you。　He　engages　in　a　battle　with　the　Red…Ship　Raiders；　one　he　couldn't　fight　from　here。　He　gives　up　the　interests　of　a　man　to　fulfill　his　duty　as　a　prince。　Not　through　a　coldness　of　spirit；　or　a　lack　of　life　in　himself。〃
　　　　　　　She　gave　me　a　sideways　glance；　fighting　the　smile　from　her　face　as　if　what　I　told　her　were　sweetest　flattery　such　as　a　princess　must　not　believe。
　　　　　　　〃He　is　taller　than　I　am；　but　only　by　a　bit。　His　hair　is　very　dark；　as　is　his　beard；　when　he　lets　it　grow。　His　eyes　are　blacker　still；　yet　when　he　is　enthused；　they　shine。　It　is　true　there　is　a　scattering　of　gray　in　his　hair　now　that　you　would　not　have　found　a　year　ago。　True；　also；　that　his　work　has　kept　him　from　the　sun　and　the　wind；　so　his　shoulders　no　longer　tear　the　seams　of　his　shirts。　But　my　uncle　is　still　very　much　a　man；　and　I　believe　that　when　the　danger　of　the　Red…Ships　has　been　driven　from　our　shores；　he　will　ride　and　shout　and　hunt　with　his　hound　once　more。〃
　　　　　　　〃You　give　me　heart；〃　she　muttered；　and　then　straightened　herself　as　if　she　had　admitted　some　weakness。　Looking　at　me　gravely；　she　asked；　〃Why　does　Regal　not　speak　of　his　brother　so？　I　thought　I　went　to　an　old　man；　shaking　of　hand；　too　burdened　by　his　duties　to　see　a　wife　as　anything　other　than　another　duty。〃
　　　　　　　〃Perhaps　he　。。。〃　I　began；　and　could　think　of　no　courtier's　way　to　say　that　Regal　was　frequently　deceptive　if　it　gained　him　his　goal。　For　the　life　of　me；　I　had　no　idea　what　goal　might　be　served　by　making　Kettricken　so　dread　Verity。
　　　　　　　〃Perhaps　he　has　。。。　been　。。。　unflattering　about　other　things　as　well；〃　Kettricken　suddenly　supposed　aloud。　Something　seemed　to　alarm　her。　She　took　a　breath　and　became　suddenly　franker。　〃There　was　an　evening；　in　my　chamber；　when　we　had　dined；　and　Regal　had；　perhaps；　drunk　a　bit　too　well。　He　told　tales　of　you　then；　saying　you　had　once　been　a　sullen；　spoiled　child；　too　ambitious　for　your　birth；　but　that　since　the　King　had　made　you　his　poisoner；　you　seemed　content　with　your　lot。　He　said　it　seemed　to　suit　you；　for　even　as　a　boy；　you　had　enjoyed　eavesdropping　and　skulking　about　and　other　secretive　pursuits。　Now；　I　do　not　tell　you　this　to　make　a　mischief；　but　only　to　let　you　know　what　I　first　believed　of　you。　The　next　day　Regal　begged　me　to　believe　it　had　been　the　fancies　of　the　wine　rather　than　the　facts　he　had　shared　with　me。　But　one　thing　he　had　said　that　night　was　too　icy　a　fear　for　me　to　entirely　lay　aside。　He　said　that　if　the　King　did　send　you　or　Lady　Thyme；　it　would　be　to　poison　my　brother　so　that　I　might　be　the　sole　heir　to　the　Mountain　Kingdom。〃
　　　　　　　〃You　are　speaking　too　quickly；〃　I　chided　her　gently；　and　hoped　my　smile　did　not　look　as　dizzy　and　sickly　as　I　suddenly　felt。　〃I　did　not　understand　all　you　said。〃　Desperately　I　strove　to　think　of　what　to　say。　Even　as　acplished　a　liar　as　I　found　such　a　direct　confrontation　unfortable。
　　　　　　　〃I　am　sorry。　But　you　speak　our　language　so　well；　almost　like　a　native。　Almost　as　if　you　were　recalling　it；　rather　than　learning　it　new。　I　will　go　more　slowly。　Some　weeks；　no；　it　was　over　a　month　ago；　Regal　came　to　my　chambers。　He　had　asked　if　he　might　dine　alone　with　me；　that　we　might　get　to　know　one　another　better；　and…〃
　　　　　　　〃Kettricken！〃　It　was　Rurisk；　calling　down　the　path　as　he　came　seeking　us。　〃Regal　is　asking　that　you　would　e　and　meet　the　lords　and　ladies　who　have　e　so　far　to　see　your　marriage。
　　　　　　　Jonqui　was　at　his　shoulder；　hurrying　after　him；　and　as　the　second　and　unmistakable　wave　of　dizziness　hit　me；　I　thought　she　looked　too　knowing。　And；　I　asked　myself；　what　step　would　Chade　have　taken　if　someone　had　sent　a　poisoner　to　Shrewd's　court　to　eliminate　Verity？　All　too　obvious。
　　　　　　　〃Perhaps；〃　Jonqui　suddenly　suggested；　〃FitzChivalry　would　like　to　be　shown　the　Blue　Fountains　now。　Litress　has　said　she　would　gladly　take　him。〃
　　　　　　　〃Maybe　later　this　afternoon；〃　I　managed　to　say。　〃I　find　myself　suddenly　wearied。　I　think　I　shall　seek　my　chamber。〃
　　　　　　　None　of　them　looked　surprised。　〃Shall　I　have　some　wine　sent　to　you？〃　Jonqui　asked　graciously。　〃Or　perhaps　some　soup？　The　others　will　be　summoned　to　a　meal　soon。　But；　if　you　are　tired；　it　is　no　trouble　to　bring　food　to　you。〃
　　　　　　　Years　of　training　came　to　the　fore。　I　kept　my　posture　straight；　despite　the　sudden　fire　in　my　belly。　〃That　would　be　most　kind　of　you；〃　I　managed　to　say。　The　brief　bow　I　forced　myself　to　make　was　sophisticated　torture。　〃I　am　sure　I　will　rejoin　you　soon。〃
　　　　　　　And　I　excused　myself；　and　I　did　not　run；　nor　curl　in　a　ball　and　whimper　as　I　wished　to。　I　walked；　with　obvious　enjoyment　of　the　plantings；　back　through　the　garden　to　the　door　of　the　Great　Hall。　And　the　three　of　them　watched　me　go；　and　spoke　softly　together　of　what　we　all　knew。
　　　　　　　I　had　but　one　trick　left　to　me；　and　small　hope　it　would　be　effective。　Back　in　my　room；　I　dug　out　the　seapurge　the　Fool　had　given　me。　How　long；　I　wondered；　had　it　been　since　I　had　eaten　the　honey　cakes？　For　that　was　the　venue　I　would　have　chosen。　Fatalistically；　I　decided　I　would　trust　the　ewer　of　water　in　my　room。　A　tiny　part　of　me　said　that　was　foolish；　but　as　wave　after　wave　of　giddiness　washed　over　me；　I　felt　incapable　of　any　further　thought。　With　shaking　hands　I　crumbled　the　seapurge　into　water。　The　dried　herb　absorbed　the　water　and　became　a　green　sticky　wad；　which　I　managed　to　choke　down。　I　knew　it　would　empty　my　stomach　and　bowels。　The　only　question　was；　would　it　be　swift　enough；　or　was　the　Chyurda　poison　too　widespread　in　me？
　　　　　　　I　spent　a　miserable　evening　that　I　will　not　dwell　on。　No　one　came　to　my　room　with　soup　or　wine。　In　my　moments　of　lucidity；　I　decided　they　would　not　e　until　they　were　sure　their　poison　had　had　its　effect。　Morning；　I　decided。　They　would　send　a　servant　to　waken　me；　and　he　would　discover　my　death。　I　had　until　morning。
　　　　　　　It　was　past　midnight　when　I　was　able　to　stand。　I　left　my　room　as　silently　as　my　shaking　legs　would　carry　me　and　went　out　into　the　garden。　I　found　a　cistern　of　water　there　and　drank　until　I　thought　I　would　burst。　I　ventured　farther　into　the　garden；　walking　slowly　and　carefully；　for　I　ached　as　if　I　had　been　beaten　and　my　head　pounded　painfully　with　each　step　I　took。　But　eventually　I　stumbled　into　an　area　of　fruit　trees　gracefully　trained　along　a　wall；　and　as　I　had　hoped；　they　were　heavy　with　the　harvest。　I　helped　myself；　filling　my　jerkin　with　a　supply。　These　I　would　conceal　in　my　room；　to　give　me　food　I　could　safely　consume。　Sometime　tomorrow；　I　would　make　an　excuse　to　go　down　and　check　on　Sooty。　My　saddlebags　still　held　some　dried　meat　and　hard　bread。　I　hoped　it　would　be　enough　to　get　me　through　this　visit。
　　　　　　　And　as　I　made　my　way　back　to　my　room；　I　wondered　what　else　they　would　try　when　they　found　the　poison　hadn't　worked。
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　CHAPTER　TWENTY…ONE
　　　　　　　Princes
　　　　　　　OF　THE　CHYURDAN　HERB　carryme；　their　saying　is；　〃A　leaf　to　sleep；　two　to　dull　pain；　three　for　a　merciful　grave。〃
　　　　　　　

　　　　　　　Toward　dawn；　I　finally　dozed；　only　to　be　awakened　by　Prince　Rurisk　flinging　aside　the　screen　that　served　as　door　to　my　chamber。　He　burst　into　the　room；　flourishing　a　sloshing　decanter。　The　looseness　of　the　garment　that　fluttered　about　him　declared　it　a　night　robe。　I　rolled　quickly　from　the　bed　and　managed　to　stand；　with　the　bedstead　between　us。　I　was　cornered；　sick　and　weaponless；　save　for　my　belt　knife。
　　　　　　　〃You　live　still！〃　he　exclaimed　in　amaze