rh.theassassinsapprentice-第16部分

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which　end　of　the　day　you　fancy　most。　Time　you　headed　back　to　your　bed。　Now。　You'll　remember　that　this　is　all　a　very　dark　secret；　won't　you？　Not　just　me　and　this　room；　but　the　whole　thing；　waking　up　at　night　and　lessons　in　how　to　kill　people；　and　all　of　it。〃
　　　　　　　〃I'll　remember；〃　I　told　him；　and　then；　sensing　that　it　would　mean　something　to　him；　I　added；　〃You　have　my　word。〃
　　　　　　　He　chuckled；　and　then　nodded　almost　sadly。　I　changed　back　into　my　night　robe；　and　he　saw　me　down　the　steps。　He　held　his　glowing　light　by　my　bed　as　I　clambered　in；　and　then　smoothed　the　blankets　over　me　as　no　one　had　done　since　I'd　left　Burrich's　chambers。　I　think　I　was　asleep　before　he　had　even　departed　from　my　bedside。
　　　　　　　Brant　was　sent　to　wake　me　the　next　morning；　so　late　was　I　in　arising。　I　came　awake　groggy；　my　head　pounding　painfully。　But　as　soon　as　he　left；　I　sprang　from　my　bed　and　raced　to　the　corner　of　my　room。　Cold　stone　met　my　hands　as　I　pushed　against　the　wall　there；　and　no　crack　in　mortar　or　stone　gave　any　sign　of　the　secret　door　I　felt　sure　must　be　there。　Never　for　one　instant　did　I　think　Chade　had　been　a　dream；　and　even　if　I　had；　there　remained　the　simple　copper　bracelet　on　my　wrist　to　prove　he　wasn't。
　　　　　　　I　dressed　hurriedly　and　passed　through　the　kitchens　for　a　slab　of　bread　and　cheese　that　I　was　still　eating　when　I　got　to　the　stables。　Burrich　was　out　of　sorts　with　my　tardiness　and　found　fault　with　every　aspect　of　my　horsemanship　and　stable　tasks。　I　remember　well　how　he　berated　me。　〃Don't　think　that　because　you've　a　room　up　in　the　castle　and　a　crest　on　your　jerkin　that　you　can　turn　into　some　sprawl　about　rogue　who　snores　in　his　bed　until　all　hours　and　then　only　rises　to　fluff　at　his　hair。　I'll　not　have　it。　Bastard　you　may　be；　but　you're　Chivalry's　bastard；　and　I'll　make　you　a　man　he'll　be　proud　of。〃
　　　　　　　I　paused；　the　grooming　brushes　still　in　my　hands。　〃You　mean　Regal；　don't　you？〃
　　　　　　　My　unwonted　question　startled　him。　〃What？〃
　　　　　　　〃When　you　talk　about　rogues　who　stay　in　bed　all　morning　and　do　nothing　except　fuss　about　hair　and　garments；　you　mean　how　Regal　is。〃
　　　　　　　Burrich　opened　his　mouth　and　then　shut　it。　His　wind　reddened　cheeks　grew　redder。　〃Neither　you　nor　I；〃　he　muttered　at　last；　〃are　in　a　position　to　criticize　any　of　the　Princes。　I　meant　only　as　a　general　rule；　that　sleeping　the　morning　away　ill　befits　a　man；　and　even　less　so　a　boy。〃
　　　　　　　〃And　never　a　prince。〃　I　said　this；　and　then　stopped；　to　wonder　where　the　thought　had　e　from。
　　　　　　　〃And　never　a　prince；〃　Burrich　agreed　grimly。　He　was　busy　in　the　next　stall　with　a　gelding's　hurt　leg。　The　animal　winced　suddenly；　and　I　heard　Burrich　grunt　with　the　effort　of　holding　him。　〃Your　father　never　slept　past　the　sun's　midpoint　because　he'd　been　drinking　the　night　before。　Of　course；　he　had　a　head　for　wine　like　I've　never　seen　since；　but　there　was　discipline　to　it；　too。　Nor　did　he　have　some　man　standing　by　to　rouse　him。　He　got　himself　out　of　bed；　and　then　expected　those　in　his　mand　to　follow　his　example。　It　didn't　always　make　him　popular；　but　his　soldiers　respected　him。　Men　like　that　in　a　leader；　that　he　demands　of　himself　the　same　thing　he　expects　of　them。　And　I'll　tell　you　another　thing。　Your　father　didn't　waste　coin　on　decking　himself　out　like　a　peacock。　When　he　was　a　younger　man；　before　he　was　wed　to　Lady　Patience；　he　was　at　dinner　one　evening；　at　one　of　the　lesser　keeps。　They'd　seated　me　not　too　far　below　him；　a　great　honor　to　me；　and　I　overheard　some　of　his　conversation　with　the　daughter　they'd　seated　so　hopefully　next　to　the　King…in…Waiting。　She'd　asked　him　what　he　thought　of　the　emeralds　she　wore；　and　he　had　plimented　her　on　them。　'I　had　wondered；　sir；　if　you　enjoyed　jewels；　for　you　wear　none　of　them　yourself　tonight；'　she　said　flirtatiously。　And　he　replied；　quite　seriously；　that　his　jewels　shone　as　brilliantly　as　hers；　and　much　larger。　'Oh；　and　where　do　you　keep　such　gems；　for　I　should　dearly　love　to　see　them。'　Well；　he　replied；　he'd　be　happy　to　show　them　to　her　later　that　evening；　when　it　was　darker。　I　saw　her　blush；　expecting　a　tryst　of　some　kind。　And　later　he　did　invite　her　out　onto　the　battlements　with　him；　but　he　took　with　them　half　the　dinner　guests　as　well。　And　he　pointed　out　the　lights　of　the　coast　watchtowers；　shining　clearly　in　the　dark；　and　told　her　that　he　considered　those　his　best　and　dearest　jewels；　and　that　he　spent　the　coin　from　her　father's　taxes　to　keep　them　shining　so。　And　then　he　pointed　out　to　the　guests　the　winking　lights　of　that　lord's　own　watchmen　in　the　fortifications　of　his　keep；　and　told　them　that　when　they　looked　at　their　duke；　they　should　see　those　shining　lights　as　the　jewels　on　his　brow。　It　was　quite　a　pliment　to　the　Duke　and　Duchess；　and　the　other　nobles　there　took　note　of　it。　The　Outislanders　had　very　few　successful　raids　that　summer。　That　was　how　Chivalry　ruled。　By　example；　and　by　the　grace　of　his　words。　So　should　any　real　prince　do。〃
　　　　　　　〃I'm　not　a　real　prince。　I'm　a　bastard。〃　It　came　oddly　from　my　mouth；　that　word　I　heard　so　often　and　so　seldom　said。
　　　　　　　Burrich　sighed　softly。　〃Be　your　blood；　boy；　and　ignore　what　anyone　else　thinks　of　you。〃
　　　　　　　〃Sometimes　I　get　tired　of　doing　the　hard　things。〃
　　　　　　　〃So　do　I〃
　　　　　　　I　absorbed　this　in　silence　for　a　while　as　I　worked　my　way　down　Sooty's　shoulder。　Burrich；　still　crouched　by　the　gelding；　spoke　suddenly。　〃I　don't　ask　any　more　of　you　than　I　ask　of　myself。　You　know　that's　true。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　know　that；〃　I　replied；　surprised　that　he'd　mentioned　it　further。
　　　　　　　〃I　just　want　to　do　my　best　by　you。〃
　　　　　　　This　was　a　whole　new　idea　to　me。　After　a　moment　I　asked；　〃Because　if　you　could　make　Chivalry　proud　of　me；　of　what　you'd　made　me　into；　then　maybe　he　would　e　back？〃
　　　　　　　The　rhythmic　sound　of　Burrich's　hands　working　liniment　into　the　gelding's　leg　slowed；　then　ceased　abruptly。　But　he　remained　crouched　down　by　the　horse　and　spoke　quietly　through　the　wall　of　the　stall。　〃No。　I　don't　think　that。　I　don't　suppose　anything　would　make　him　e　back。　And　even　if　he　did；〃　and　Burrich　spoke　more　slowly；　〃even　if　he　did；　he　wouldn't　be　who　he　was。　Before；　I　mean。〃
　　　　　　　〃It's　all　my　fault　he　went　away；　isn't　it？〃　The　words　of　the　weaving　women　echoed　in　my　head。　But　for　the　boy；　he'd　still　be　in　line　to　be　King。
　　　　　　　Burrich　paused　long。　〃I　don't　suppose　it's　any　man's　fault　that　he's　born　。。。　。〃　He　sighed；　and　the　words　seemed　to　e　more　reluctantly。　〃And　there's　certainly　no　way　a　babe　can　make　itself　not　a　bastard。　No。　Chivalry　brought　his　downfall　on　himself；　though　that's　a　hard　thing　for　me　to　say。〃　I　heard　his　hands　go　back　to　work　on　the　gelding's　leg。
　　　　　　　〃And　your　downfall；　too。〃　I　said　it　to　Sooty's　shoulder；　softly；　never　dreaming　he'd　hear。
　　　　　　　But　a　moment　or　two　later　I　heard　him　mutter；　〃I　do　well　enough　for　myself；　Fitz。　I　do　well　enough。〃
　　　　　　　He　finished　his　task　and　came　around　into　Sooty's　stall。　〃Your　tongue's　wagging　like　the　town　gossip　today；　Fitz。　What's　got　into　you？〃
　　　　　　　It　was　my　turn　to　pause　and　wonder。　Something　about　Chade；　I　decided。　Something　about　someone　who　wanted　me　to　understand　and　have　a　say　in　what　I　was　learning　had　freed　up　my　tongue　to　finally　ask　all　the　questions　I'd　been　carrying　about　for　years。　But　because　I　couldn't　very　well　say　so；　I　shrugged　and　truthfully　replied；　〃They're　just　things　I've　wondered　about　for　a　long　time。〃
　　　　　　　Burrich　grunted　his　acceptance　of　the　answer。　〃Well。　It's　an　improvement　that　you　ask；　though　I　won't　always　promise　you　an　answer。　It's　good　to　hear　you　speak　like　a　man。　Makes　me　worry　less　about　losing　you　to　the　beasts。〃　He　glared　at　me　over　the　last　words　and　then　gimped　away。　I　watched　him　go；　and　remembered　that　first　night　I　had　seen　him；　and　how　a　look　from　him　had　been　enough　to　quell　a　whole　room　full　of　men。　He　wasn't　the　same　man。　And　it　wasn't　just　the　limp　that　had　changed　the　way　he　carried　himself　and　how　men　looked　at　him。　He　was　still　the　acknowledged　master　in　the　stables　and　no　one　questioned　his　authority　there。　But　he　was　no　longer　the　right　hand　of　the　King…in…Waiting。　Other　than　watching　over　me；　he　wasn't　Chivalry's　man　at　all　anymore。　No　wonder　he　couldn't　look　at　me　without　resentment。　He　hadn't　sired　the　bastard　that　had　been　his　downfall。　For　the　first　time　since　I　had　known　him；　my　wariness　of　him　was　tinged　with　pity。
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　CHAPTER　FIVE
　　　　　　　Loyalties
　　　　　　　IN　SOME　KINGDOMS　AND　lands；　it　is　the　custom　that　male　children　will　have　precedent　over　female　in　matters　of　inheritance。　Such　has　never　been　the　case　in　the　Six　Duchies。　Titles　are　inherited　solely　by　order　of　birth。
　　　　　　　The　one　who　inherits　a　title　is　supposed　to　view　it　as　a　stewardship。　If　a　lord　or　lady　were　so　foolish　as　to　cut　too　much　forest　at　once；　or　neglect　vineyards　or　let　the　quality　of　the　cattle　bee　too　inbred；　the　people　of　the　Duchy　could　rise　up　and　e　to　ask　the　King's　justice。　It　has　happened；　and　every　noble　is　aware　it　can　happen。　The　welfare　of　the　people　belongs　to　the　people；　and　they　have　the　right　to　object　if　their　duke　stewards　it　poorly。
　　　　　　　When　the　titleholder　weds；　he　is　supposed　to　keep　this　in　mind。　The　partner　chosen　must　be　willing　likewise　to　be　a　steward。　For　this　reason；　the　partner　holding　a　lesser　title　must　surrender　it　to　the　next　younger　sibling。　One　can　only　be　a　true　steward　of　one　holding。　On　occasion　this　has　led　to　divisions。　King　Shrewd　married　Lady　Desire；　who　would　have　been　Duchess　of　Farrow　had　she　not　chosen　to　accept　his　offer　and　bee　Queen　instead。　It　is　said　she　came　to　regret　her　decision　and　convinced　herself　that　had　she　remained　Duchess；　her　power　would　have　been　greater。　She　married　Shrewd　knowing　well　she　was　his　second　queen；　and　that　the　first　had　already　borne　him　two　heirs。　She　never　concealed　her　disdain　for　the　two　older　Princes　and　often　pointed　out　that　as　she　was　much　higher　born　than　King　Shrewd's　first　queen；　she　considered　her　son；　Regal；　to　be　more　royal　than　his　two　half　brothers。　She　attempted　to　instill　this　idea　in　others　by　her　choice　of　name　for　her　son。　Unfortunately　for　her　plans；　most　saw　this　ploy　as　poor　taste。　Some　even　mockingly　referred　to　her　as　the　Inland　Queen；　for　when　intoxicated　she　would　ruthlessly　claim　that　she　had　the　political　influence　to　unite　Farrow　and　Tilth　into　a　new　k