rh.royalassassin-第43章

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！


tly　watching　him　eat。　I　was　not　very　hungry；　but　it　built　my　appetite　to　watch　how　much　he　enjoyed　this　simple；　robust　meal。　In　this　he　was　still　a　soldier；　I　thought。　He　would　take　this　small　pleasure；　this　good；　well…served　food　when　he　was　hungry；　and　relish　it　while　he　could。　It　gave　me　much　satisfaction　to　see　him　with　this　much　life　and　appetite　to　him。　I　wondered　how　he　would　be　next　summer；　when　he　would　have　to　Skill　for　hours　every　day；　keeping　watch　for　Raiders　off　our　coast；　and　using　the　tricks　of　his　mind　to　set　them　astray　while　giving　our　own　folk　early　warning。　I　thought　of　Verity　as　he　had　been　last　summer　by　harvest　time；　worn　to　thinness；　face　lined；　without　the　energy　to　eat　save　that　he　drank　the　stimulants　that　Chade　put　in　his　tea。　His　life　had　bee　the　hours　he　spent　Skilling。　e　summer；　his　hunger　for　the　Skilling　would　replace　every　other　hunger　in　his　life。　How　would　Kettricken　react　to　that？　I　wondered。
　　　　　　　After　we　had　eaten；　Verity　went　over　his　maps　with　me。　There　was　no　longer　any　mistaking　the　pattern　that　emerged。
　　　　　　　Regardless　of　what　obstacles；　forest　or　river　or　frozen　plains；　the　Forged　ones　were　moving　toward　Buckkeep。　It　made　no　sense　to　me。　The　ones　I　had　encountered　seemed　all　but　bereft　of　their　senses。　I　found　it　difficult　to　believe　that　any　one　of　them　would　conceive　of　traveling　overland；　despite　hardships；　simply　to　e　to　Buckkeep。　〃And　these　records　you've　kept　indicate　that　all　of　them　have。　All　of　the　Forged　ones　that　you've　identified　seem　to　be　moving　toward　Buckkeep。〃
　　　　　　　〃Yet　you　have　difficulty　seeing　it　as　a　coordinated　plan？〃　Verity　asked　quietly。
　　　　　　　〃I　fail　to　see　how　they　could　have　any　plan　at　all。　How　have　they　contacted　each　other？　And　it　doesn't　seem　a　concerted　effort。　They　aren't　meeting　up　and　traveling　here　in　bands。　It　simply　seems　that　each　and　every　one　sets　out　this　way；　and　some　of　them　fall　in　together。〃
　　　　　　　〃Like　moths　drawn　to　a　candle　flame；〃　Verity　observed。
　　　　　　　〃Or　flies　to　carrion；〃　I　added　sourly。
　　　　　　　〃The　ones　to　fascination；　the　others　to　feed；〃　Verity　mused。　〃I　wish　I　knew　which　it　is　that　draws　the　Forged　ones　to　me。　Perhaps　another　thing　entirely。〃
　　　　　　　〃Why　do　you　think　you　must　know　why　they　e？　Do；　you　think　you　are　their　target？〃
　　　　　　　〃I　do　not　know。　But　if　I　find　out；　I　may　understand　my　enemy。　I　do　not　think　it　chance　that　all　the　Forged　ones　make　their　way　to　Buckkeep。　I　think　they　move　against　me；　Fitz。　Perhaps　not　of　their　own　will；　but　it　is　still　a　move　against　me。　I　need　to　understand　why。〃
　　　　　　　〃To　understand　them；　you　must　bee　them。〃
　　　　　　　〃Oh。〃　He　looked　less　than　amused。　〃Now　who　sounds　like　the　Fool？〃
　　　　　　　The　question　made　me　uneasy　and　I　let　it　slip　by　me。　〃My　prince；　when　the　Fool　mocked　me　the　other　day　。。。〃　I　hesitated；　still　stung　by　the　memory。　I　had　always　believed　the　Fool　to　be　my　friend。　I　tried　to　push　the　emotion　aside。　〃He　put　ideas　in　my　mind。　In　his　teasing　way。　He　said；　if　I　understand　his　riddles　aright；　that　I　should　be　seeking　for　others　who　are　Skilled。　Men　and　women　from　your　father's　generation；　trained　by　Solicity　before　Galen　became　Skill　Master。　And　he　seemed　also　to　say　that　I　should　be　finding　out　more　about　the　Elderlings。　How　are　they　summoned；　what　can　they　do？　What　are　they？〃
　　　　　　　Verity　leaned　back　in　his　chair　and　steepled　his　fingers　over　his　chest。　〃Either　of　those　quests　might　be　enough　for　a　dozen　men。　And　yet；　neither　is　even　sufficient　for　one；　for　the　answers　to　either　question　are　so　scarce。　To　the　first；　yes；　there　should　yet　be　Skilled　ones　amongst　us；　folk　older　than　my　father　even；　trained　for　the　old　wars　against　the　Outislanders。　It　would　not　have　been　mon　folk　knowledge　as　to　who　was　trained。　Training　was　done　privately；　and　even　those　in　a　coterie　might　know　of　few　outside　their　own　circle。　Still；　there　should　have　been　records。　I　am　sure　there　were；　at　one　time。　But　what　has　bee　of　them；　no　one　can　say。　I　imagine　that　they　were　passed　from　Solicity　down　to　Galen。　But　they　were　not　found　in　his　room　or　among　his　things　after　he　。。。　died。〃
　　　　　　　It　was　Verity's　turn　to　pause。　We　both　knew　how　Galen　had　died；　in　a　sense　had　both　been　there；　though　we　had　never　spoken　much　of　it。　Galen　had　died　a　traitor；　in　the　act　of　trying　to　Skill…tap　Verity's　strength　and　drain　it　off　and　kill　him。　Instead；　Verity　had　borrowed　my　strength　to　aid　him　in　draining　Galen。　It　was　not　a　thing　either　of　us　enjoyed　recalling。　But　I　spoke　boldly；　trying　to　keep　all　emotion　from　my　voice。
　　　　　　　〃Do　you　think　Regal　would　know　where　such　records　are？〃
　　　　　　　〃If　he　does；　he　has　said　nothing　of　it。〃　Verity's　voice　was　as　flat　as　my　own；　putting　an　end　to　that　topic。　〃But　I　have　had　some　small　success　in　uncovering　a　few　Skilled　ones。　The　names；　at　least。　In　every　case；　those　I　have　managed　to　discover　have　either　already　died　or　cannot　be　located　now。〃
　　　　　　　〃Um。〃　I　recalled　hearing　something　of　this　from　Chade　some　time　ago。　〃How　did　you　discover　their　names？〃
　　　　　　　〃Some　my　father　could　recall。　The　members　of　the　last　coterie；　who　served　King　Bounty。　Others　I　knew　vaguely；　when　I　was　very　small。　A　few　others　I　discovered　by　talking　to　some　of　the　very　old　folk　in　the　Keep；　asking　them　to　recall　what　rumors　they　could　of　who　might　have　been　trained　in　the　Skill。　Though　of　course　I　did　not　ask　in　so　many　words。　I　did　not；　and　still　do　not；　wish　my　quest　to　be　known。〃
　　　　　　　〃May　I　ask　why？〃
　　　　　　　He　frowned　and　nodded　toward　his　maps。　〃I　am　not　as　brilliant　as　your　father　was；　my　boy。　Chivalry　could　make　leaps　of　intuition　that　seemed　nothing　short　of　magical。　What　I　discover　are　patterns。　Does　it　seem　likely　to　you　that　every　Skilled　one　I　can　discover　should　be　either　dead；　or　unfindable？　It　seems　to　me　that　if　I　find　one；　and　his　name　is　known　as　a　Skilled　one；　it　might　not　be　healthy　for　him。〃
　　　　　　　For　a　time　we　sat　in　silence。　He　was　letting　me　e　to　my　own　conclusions。　I　was　wise　enough　not　to　voice　them　aloud。　〃And　Elderlings？〃　I　asked　at　last。
　　　　　　　〃A　different　sort　of　riddle。　At　the　time　they　were　written　about；　all　knew　what　they　were。　So　I　surmise。　It　would　be　the　same　if　you　went　to　find　a　scroll　that　explained　exactly　what　a　horse　was。　You　would　find　many　passing　mentions　of　them；　and　a　few　that　related　directly　to　shoeing　one；　or　to　one　stallion's　bloodline。　But　who　amongst　us　would　see　the　need　to　devote　the　labor　and　time　to　writing　out　exactly　what　a　horse　is？〃
　　　　　　　〃I　see。〃
　　　　　　　〃So；　again；　it　is　a　sifting　out　of　detail。　I　have　not　had　the　time　required　to　devote　myself　to　such　a　task。〃　For　a　moment　he　sat　looking　at　me。　Then　he　opened　a　little　stone　box　on　his　desk　and　took　out　a　key。　〃There　is　a　cabinet　in　my　bedchamber；〃　he　said　slowly。　〃I　have　gathered　there　what　scrolls　I　could　find　that　made　even　a　passing　mention　of　the　Elderlings。　There　are　also　some　related　to　the　Skill。　I　give　you　leave　to　pore　through　them。　Ask　Fedwren　for　good　paper；　and　keep　notes　of　what　you　discover。　Look　for　patterns　among　those　notes。　And　bring　them　to　me；　every　month　or　so。〃
　　　　　　　I　took　the　little　brass　key　in　my　hand。　It　weighed　strangely　heavy；　as　if　attached　to　the　task　the　Fool　had　suggested　and　Verity　had　confirmed。　Look　for　patterns；　Verity　had　suggested。　I　suddenly　saw　one；　a　web　woven　from　me　to　the　Fool　to　Verity　and　back　again。　Like　Verity's　other　patterns；　it　did　not　seem　to　be　an　accident。　I　wondered　who　had　originated　the　pattern。　I　glanced　at　Verity；　but　his　thoughts　had　gone　afar。　I　rose　quietly　to　go。
　　　　　　　As　I　touched　the　door　he　spoke　to　me。　〃e　to　me。　Very　early　tomorrow　morning。　To　my　tower。〃
　　　　　　　〃Sir？〃
　　　　　　　〃Perhaps　we　may　yet　discover　another　Skilled　one；　unsuspected　in　our　midst。〃
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　CHAPTER　TWELVE
　　　　　　　Tasks
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　PERHAPS　THE　MOST　devastating　part　of　our　war　with　the　Red…Ships　was　the　sense　of　helplessness　that　overpowered　us。　It　was　as　if　a　terrible　paralysis　lay　over　the　land　and　its　rulers。　The　tactics　of　the　Raiders　were　so　inprehensible　that　for　the　first　year　we　stood　still　as　if　dazed。　The　second　year　of　raiding；　we　tried　to　defend　ourselves。　But　our　skills　were　rusty；　for　too　long　they　had　been　employed　only　against　the　chance　Raiders；　the　opportunistic　or　the　desperate。　Against　organized　pirates　who　had　studied　our　seacoasts；　our　watchtower　positions；　our　tides　and　currents；　we　were　like　children。　Only　Prince　Verity's　Skilling　provided　any　protection　for　us。　How　many　ships　he　turned　aside；　how　many　navigators　he　muddled　or　pilots　he　confused；　we　will　never　know。　Because　his　people　could　not　grasp　what　he　did　for　them；　it　was　as　if　the　Farseers　did　nothing。　Folks　saw　only　the　raids　that　were　successful；　never　the　ships　that　went　onto　the　rocks　or　sailed　too　far　south　during　a　storm。　The　people　lost　heart。　The　Inland　Duchies　bridled　at　taxes　to　protect　a　coastline　they　didn't　share；　the　Coastal　Duchies　labored　under　taxes　that　seemed　to　make　no　difference。　So　if　the　enthusiasm　for　Verity's　warships　was　a　fickle　thing；　rising　and　falling　with　the　folk's　current　assessment　of　him；　we　cannot　really　blame　the　people。　It　seemed　the　longest　winter　of　my　life。
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　I　went　from　Verity's　study　to　Queen　Kettricken's　apartments。　I　knocked　and　was　admitted　by　the　same　little　page　girl　as　previously。　With　her　merry　little　face　and　dark　curly　hair；　Rosemary　reminded　me　of　some　pool　sprite。　Within；　the　atmosphere　of　the　room　seemed　subdued。　Several　of　Kettricken's　women　were　there；　and　they　all　sat　on　stools　around　a　frame　holding　a　white　linen　cloth。　They　were　doing　edgework　on　it；　flowers　and　greenery　done　in　bright　threads。　I　had　witnessed　similar　projects　in　Mistress　Hasty's　apartments。　Usually　these　activities　seemed　merry；　with　tongues　wagging　and　friendly　banter；　needles　flashing　as　they　dragged　their　tails　of　bright　thread　through　the　heavy　cloth。　But　here；　it　was　near　silent。　The　women　worked　with　their　heads　bent；　diligently；　skillfully；　but　without　gay　talk。　Scented　candles；　pink　and　green；　burned　in　each　corner　of　the　room。　Their　subtle　fragrances　mingled　scents　over　the　frame。
　　　　　　　Kettricken　presided　over　the　work；　her　own　hands　as　busy　as　any。　She　seemed　the　source　of　the　stillness。　Her　face　was　posed；　even　peaceful。　Her　self…containment　was　so　evident　I　could　almost　see　the　walls　around　her。　Her　look　was　pleasant；　her　eyes　kind；　but　I　did　not　sense　she　was　really　there　at　all。　She　was　like　a　container　of　cool　still　water。　She　was　dressed　in　a　long　simple　robe　of　green；　more　of　the　mountain　style　than　of　Buckkeep。　She　had　set　her　jewelry　aside。　She　looked　up　at　me　and　smiled　questioningly。　I　felt　like　an　intruder；　an　interruption　to　a　group　of　studying　pupils　and　their　master。　So　instead　of　simply　greeting　her；　I　tried　to　justify　my　presence。　I　spoke　formally；　mindful　of　all　the　watching　women。
　　　　　　　〃Queen　Kettricken。　King…in…Waiting　Verity　has　asked　me　to　bring　a　message　to　you。〃
　　　　　　　Something　seemed　to　flicker　behind　her　eyes；　and　then　was　still　again。　〃Yes；〃　she　said　neutrally。　None　of　the　needles　paused　in　their　jumping　dance；　but　I　was　sure　that　every　ear　waited　for　whatever　tidings　I　might　be　bringing。
　　　　　　　〃Atop　a　tower；　there　was　once　a　garden；　called　the　Queen's　Garden。　Once；　King　Verity　said；　it　had　pots　of　greenery；　and　ponds　of　water。　It　was　a　place