rh.theassassinsapprentice-第4部分

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　　　　　　　〃Then　our　father　wishes　him　to　return　with　us　to　Buckkeep？〃　The　question　came　from　Verity。
　　　　　　　〃Our　father　does。　My　mother　does　not。〃
　　　　　　　〃Oh。〃　Verity's　tone　indicated　he　had　no　interest　in　further　discussing　that。　But　Regal　frowned　and　continued。
　　　　　　　〃My　mother　the　Queen　is　not　at　all　pleased　about　any　of　this。　She　has　counseled　the　King　long；　but　in　vain。　Mother　and　I　were　for　putting　the　boy　。。。　aside。　It　is　only　good　sense。　We　scarcely　need　more　confusion　in　the　line　of　succession。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　see　no　confusion　in　it　now；　Regal。〃　Verity　spoke　evenly。　〃Chivalry；　me；　and　then　you。　Then　our　cousin　August。　This　bastard　would　be　a　far　fifth。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　am　well　aware　that　you　precede　me；　you　need　not　flaunt　it　at　me　at　every　opportunity；〃　Regal　said　coldly。　He　glared　down　at　me。　〃I　still　think　it　would　be　better　not　to　have　him　about。　What　if　Chivalry　never　does　get　a　legal　heir　on　Patience？　What　if　he　chooses　to　recognize　this　。。。　boy？　It　could　be　very　divisive　to　the　nobles。　Why　should　we　tempt　trouble？　So　say　my　mother　and　I。　But　our　father　the　King　is　not　a　hasty　man；　as　well　we　know。　Shrewd　is　as　Shrewd　does；　as　the　mon　folk　say。　He　forbade　any　settling　of　the　matter。　'Regal；'　he　said；　in　that　way　he　has。　'Don't　do　what　you　can't　undo；　until　you've　considered　what　you　can't　do　once　you've　done　it。'　Then　he　laughed。〃　Regal　himself　gave　a　short；　bitter　laugh。　〃I　weary　so　of　his　humor。〃
　　　　　　　〃Oh；〃　said　Verity　again；　and　I　lay　still　and　wondered　if　he　were　trying　to　sort　out　the　King's　words；　or　refraining　from　replying　to　his　brother's　plaint。
　　　　　　　〃You　discern　his　real　reasons；　of　course；〃　Regal　informed　him。
　　　　　　　〃Which　is？〃
　　　　　　　〃He　still　favors　Chivalry。〃　Regal　sounded　disgusted。　〃Despite　everything。　Despite　his　foolish　marriage　and　his　eccentric　wife。　Despite　this　mess。　And　now　he　thinks　this　will　sway　the　people；　make　them　warmer　toward　him。　Prove　he's　a　man；　that　Chivalry　can　father　a　child。　Or　maybe　prove　he's　a　human；　and　can　make　mistakes　like　the　rest　of　them。〃　Regal's　tone　betrayed　that　he　agreed　with　none　of　this。
　　　　　　　〃And　this　will　make　the　people　like　him　more；　support　his　future　kingship　more？　That　he　fathered　a　child　on　some　wild　woman　before　he　married　his　queen？〃　Verity　sounded　confused　by　the　logic。
　　　　　　　I　heard　the　sourness　in　Regal's　voice。　〃So　the　King　seems　to　think。　Does　he　care　nothing　for　the　disgrace？　But　I　suspect　Chivalry　will　feel　differently　about　using　his　bastard　in　such　a　way。　Especially　as　it　regards　dear　Patience。　But　the　King　has　ordered　that　the　bastard　be　brought　to　Buckkeep　when　you　return。〃　Regal　looked　down　on　me　as　if　ill　satisfied。
　　　　　　　Verity　looked　briefly　troubled；　but　nodded。　A　shadow　lay　over　Burrich's　features　that　the　yellow　lamplight　could　not　lift。
　　　　　　　〃Has　my　master　no　say　in　this？〃　Burrich　ventured　to　protest。　〃It　seems　to　me　that　if　he　wants　to　settle　a　portion　on　the　family　of　the　boy's　mother；　and　set　him　aside；　then；　why　surely　for　the　sake　of　my　Lady　Patience's　sensibilities；　he　should　be　allowed　that　discretion…〃
　　　　　　　Prince　Regal　broke　in　with　a　snort　of　disdain。　〃The　time　for　discretion　was　before　he　rolled　the　wench。　The　Lady　Patience　is　not　the　first　woman　to　have　to　face　her　husband's　bastard。　Everyone　here　knows　of　his　existence；　Verity's　clumsiness　saw　to　that。　There's　no　point　to　trying　to　hide　him。　And　as　far　as　a　royal　bastard　is　concerned；　none　of　us　can　afford　to　have　such　sensibilities；　Burrich。　To　leave　such　a　boy　in　a　place　like　this　is　like　leaving　a　weapon　hovering　over　the　King's　throat。　Surely　even　a　houndsman　can　see　that。　And　even　if　you　can't；　your　master　will。〃
　　　　　　　An　icy　harshness　had　e　into　Regal's　voice；　and　I　saw　Burrich　flinch　from　his　voice　as　I　had　seen　him　cower　from　nothing　else。　It　made　me　afraid；　and　I　drew　the　blanket　up　over　my　head　and　burrowed　deeper　into　the　straw。　Beside　me；　Vixen　growled　lightly　in　the　back　of　her　throat。　I　think　it　made　Regal　step　back；　but　I　cannot　be　sure。　The　men　left　soon　after；　and　if　they　spoke　any　more　than　that；　no　memory　of　it　lies　within　me。
　　　　　　　Time　passed；　and　I　think　it　was　two；　or　perhaps　three　weeks　later　that　I　found　myself　clinging　to　Burrich's　belt　and　trying　to　wrap　my　short　legs　around　a　horse　behind　him　as　we　left　that　chill　village　and　began　what　seemed　to　me　an　endless　journey　down　to　warmer　lands。　I　suppose　at　some　point　Chivalry　must　have　e　to　see　the　bastard　he　had　sired　and　must　have　passed　some　sort　of　judgment　on　himself　as　regarded　me。　But　I　have　no　memory　of　such　a　meeting　with　my　father。　The　only　image　I　carry　of　him　in　my　mind　is　from　his　portrait　on　the　wall　in　Buckkeep。　Years　later　I　was　given　to　understand　that　his　diplomacy　had　gone　well　indeed；　securing　a　treaty　and　peace　that　lasted　well　into　my　teens　and　earning　the　respect　and　even　fondness　of　the　Chyurda。
　　　　　　　In　truth；　I　was　his　only　failure　that　year；　but　I　was　a　monumental　one。　He　preceded　us　home　to　Buckkeep；　where　he　abdicated　his　claim　to　the　throne。　By　the　time　we　arrived；　he　and　Lady　Patience　were　gone　from　court；　to　live　as　the　Lord　and　Lady　of　Withywoods。　I　have　been　to　Withywoods。　Its　name　bears　no　relationship　to　its　appearance。　It　is　a　warm　valley；　centered　on　a　gently　flowing　river　that　carves　a　wide　plain　that　nestles　between　gently　rising　and　rolling　foothills。　A　place　to　grow　grapes　and　grain　and　plump　children。　It　is　a　soft　holding；　far　from　the　borders；　far　from　the　politics　of　court；　far　from　anything　that　had　been　Chivalry's　life　up　to　then。　It　was　a　pasturing　out；　a　gentle　and　genteel　exile　for　a　man　who　would　have　been　King。　A　velvet　smothering　for　a　warrior　and　a　silencing　of　a　rare　and　skilled　diplomat。
　　　　　　　And　so　I　came　to　Buckkeep；　sole　child　and　bastard　of　a　man　I'd　never　know。　Prince　Verity　became　King…in…Waiting　and　Prince　Regal　moved　up　a　notch　in　the　line　of　succession。　If　all　I　had　ever　done　was　to　be　born　and　discovered；　I　would　have　left　a　mark　across　all　the　land　for　all　time。　I　grew　up　fatherless　and　motherless　in　a　court　where　all　recognized　me　as　a　catalyst。　And　a　catalyst　I　became。
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　CHAPTER　TWO
　　　　　　　Newboy
　　　　　　　HERE　ARE　MANY　LEGENDS　about　Taker；　the　first　Outislander　to　claim　Buckkeep　as　the　First　Duchy　and　the　founder　of　the　royal　line。　One　is　that　the　raiding　voyage　he　was　on　was　his　first　and　only　foray　out　from　whatever　cold　harsh　island　bore　him。　It　is　said　that　upon　seeing　the　timbered　fortifications　of　Buckkeep；　he　had　announced；　〃If　there's　a　fire　and　a　meal　there；　I　shan't　be　leaving　again。〃　And　there　was；　and　he　didn't。
　　　　　　　But　family　rumor　says　that　he　was　a　poor　sailor；　made　sick　by　the　heaving　water　and　salt…fish　rations　that　other　Outislanders　throve　upon。　That　he　and　his　crew　had　been　lost　for　days　upon　the　water；　and　if　he　had　not　managed　to　seize　Buckkeep　and　make　it　his　own；　his　own　crew　would　have　drowned　him。　Nevertheless；　the　old　tapestry　in　the　Great　Hall　shows　him　as　a　well…thewed　stalwart　grinning　fiercely　over　the　prow　of　his　vessel　as　his　oarsmen　propel　him　toward　an　ancient　Buckkeep　of　logs　and　poorly　dressed　stone。
　　　　　　　Buckkeep　had　begun　its　existence　as　a　defensible　position　on　a　navigable　river　at　the　mouth　of　a　bay　with　excellent　anchorage。　Some　petty　landchief；　whose　name　has　been　lost　in　the　mists　of　history；　saw　the　potential　for　controlling　trade　on　the　river　and　built　the　first　stronghold　there。　Ostensibly；　he　had　built　it　to　defend　both　river　and　bay　from　the　Outislander　raiders　who　came　every　summer　to　plunder　up　and　down　the　river。　What　he　had　not　figured　on　were　the　raiders　that　infiltrated　his　fortifications　by　treachery。　The　towers　and　walls　became　their　toehold。　They　moved　their　occupations　and　domination　up　the　river；　and　rebuilding　his　timber　fort　into　towers　and　walls　of　dressed　stone；　finally　made　Buckkeep　the　heart　of　the　First　Duchy；　and　eventually　the　capital　of　the　kingdom　of　the　Six　Duchies。
　　　　　　　The　ruling　house　of　the　Six　Duchies；　the　Farseers；　were　descended　from　those　Outislanders。　They　had；　for　several　generations；　kept　up　their　ties　with　the　Outislanders；　making　courting　voyages　and　returning　home　with　plump　dark　brides　of　their　own　folk。　And　so　the　blood　of　the　Outislanders　still　ran　strong　in　the　royal　lines　and　the　noble　houses；　producing　children　with　black　hair　and　dark　eyes　and　muscled　stocky　limbs。　And　with　those　attributes　went　a　predilection　for　the　Skill；　and　all　the　dangers　and　weaknesses　inherent　in　such　blood。　I　had　my　share　of　that　heritage；　too。
　　　　　　　But　my　first　experience　of　Buckkeep　held　nothing　of　history　or　heritage。　I　knew　it　only　as　an　end　place　for　a　journey；　a　panorama　of　noise　and　people；　carts　and　dogs　and　buildings　and　twisting　streets　that　led　finally　to　an　immense　stone　stronghold　on　the　cliffs　that　overlooked　the　city　sheltered　below　it。　Burrich's　horse　was　weary；　and　his　hooves　slipped　on　the　often　slimy　cobbles　of　the　city　streets。　I　held　on　grimly　to　Burrich's　belt；　too　weary　and　aching　even　to　plain。　I　craned　my　head　up　once　to　stare　at　the　tall　gray　towers　and　walls　of　the　keep　above　us。　Even　in　the　unfamiliar　warmth　of　the　sea　breeze；　it　looked　chill　and　forbidding。　I　leaned　my　forehead　against　his　back　and　felt　ill　in　the　brackish　iodine　smell　of　the　immense　water。　And　that　was　how　I　came　to　Buckkeep。
　　　　　　　Burrich　had　quarters　over　the　stables；　not　far　from　the　mews。　It　was　there　he　took　me；　along　with　the　hounds　and　Chivalry's　hawk。　He　saw　to　the　hawk　first；　for　it　was　sadly　bedraggled　from　the　trip。　The　dogs　were　overjoyed　to　be　home　and　were　suffused　with　a　boundless　energy　that　was　very　annoying　to　anyone　as　weary　as　I。　Nosy　bowled　me　over　a　half…dozen　times　before　I　could　convey　to　his　thickskulled　hound's　mind　that　I　was　weary　and　half…sick　and　in　no　mood　for　play。　He　responded　as　any　pup　would；　by　seeking　out　his　former　littermates　and　immediately　getting　himself　into　a　semiserious　fight　with　one　of　them　that　was　quelled　by　a　shout　from　Burrich。　Chivalry's　man　he　might　be；　but　when　he　was　at　Buckkeep；　he　was　the　master　for　hounds；　hawks；　and　horses。
　　　　　　　His　own　beasts　seen　to；　he　proceeded　to　walk　through　the　stables；　surveying　all　that　had　been　done；　or　left　undone；　in　his　absence。　Stable　boys；　grooms；　and　falconers　appeared　as　if　by　magic　to　defend　their　charges　from　any　criticisms。　I　tr