rh.theassassinsapprentice-第59部分

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along　the　road　in　opposite　directions；　to　take　up　positions　as　sentries。　One　was　on　the　road　almost　directly　above　me。　I　made　myself　small　and　still。　I　held　on　to　Smithy　in　my　mind　the　way　a　child　grips　a　beloved　toy　as　protection　against　nightmares。　I　had　to　get　home　to　him；　therefore　I　must　not　be　discovered。　The　knowledge　that　I　must　do　the　first　somehow　made　the　second　seem　more　possible。
　　　　　　　Men　scrabbled　hastily　from　the　ship。　Everything　about　them　bespoke　familiarity。　I　could　not　fathom　why　they　had　put　in　here　until　I　saw　them　unloading　empty　water　casks。　The　casks　were　sent　hollowly　rolling　down　the　causeway；　and　I　remembered　the　well　I　had　passed。　The　part　of　my　mind　that　belonged　to　Chade　noted　how　well　they　knew　Forge；　to　put　in　almost　exactly　opposite　that　well。　This　was　not　the　first　time　this　ship　had　stopped　here　for　water。　〃Poison　the　well　before　you　leave；〃　he　suggested。　But　I　had　no　supplies　for　anything　like　that；　and　no　courage　to　do　anything　except　remain　hidden。
　　　　　　　Others　had　emerged　from　the　ship　and　were　stretching　their　legs。　I　overheard　an　argument　between　a　woman　and　a　man。　He　wished　permission　to　light　a　fire　with　some　of　the　driftwood；　to　roast　some　meat。　She　forbade　it；　saying　they　had　not　e　far　enough；　and　that　a　fire　would　be　too　visible。　So　they　had　raided　recently；　to　have　fresh　meat；　and　not　too　far　from　here。　She　gave　permission　for　something　else　that　I　did　not　quite　understand；　until　I　saw　them　unload　two　full　kegs。　Another　man　came　ashore　with　a　whole　ham　on　his　shoulder；　which　he　dropped　with　a　meaty　slap　onto　one　of　the　upright　kegs。　He　drew　a　knife　and　began　to　carve　off　chunks　of　it　while　another　man　broached　the　other　keg。　They　would　not　be　leaving　anytime　soon。　And　if　they　did　light　a　fire；　or　stay　until　dawn；　my　log's　shadow　would　be　no　hiding　place　at　all。　I　had　to　get　out　of　there。
　　　　　　　Through　nests　of　sandfleas　and　squiggling　piles　of　seaweed；　under　and　between　logs　and　stones；　I　dragged　my　belly　through　sand　and　pebbled　gravel。　I　swear　that　every　root　snag　caught　at　me；　and　every　shifted　slab　of　stone　blocked　my　way。　The　tide　had　changed。　The　waves　broke　noisily　against　the　rocks；　and　the　flying　spray　rode　the　wind。　I　was　soon　soaked。　I　tried　to　time　my　movement　with　the　sound　of　the　breaking　waves；　to　hide　my　small　sounds　in　theirs。　The　rocks　were　toothed　with　barnacles；　and　sand　packed　the　gouges　they　made　in　my　hands　and　knees。　My　staff　became　an　incredible　burden；　but　I　would　not　abandon　my　only　weapon。　Long　after　I　could　no　longer　see　or　hear　the　raiders；　I　dared　not　stand；　but　crept　and　huddled　still　from　stone　to　log。　At　last　I　ventured　up　onto　the　road　and　crawled　across　it。　Once　in　the　shadow　of　a　sagging　warehouse；　I　stood；　hugging　the　wall；　and　peered　about　me。
　　　　　　　All　was　silent。　I　dared　to　step　out　two　steps　onto　the　road；　but　even　there；　I　could　see　nothing　of　the　ship　or　the　sentries。　Perhaps　that　meant　they　could　not　see　me　either。　I　took　a　calming　breath。　I　quested　after　Smithy　the　way　some　men　pat　their　pouches　to　be　sure　their　coin　is　safe。　I　found　him；　but　faint　and　quiet；　his　mind　like　a　still　pool。　〃I'm　ing；〃　I　breathed；　fearful　of　stirring　him　to　any　effort。　And　I　set　forth　again。
　　　　　　　The　wind　was　relentless；　and　my　salt…wet　clothing　clung　and　chafed。　I　was　hungry；　cold；　and　tired。　My　wet　shoes　were　a　misery。　But　I　had　no　thought　of　stopping。　I　trotted　like　a　wolf；　my　eyes　continually　shifting；　my　ears　keen　for　any　sound　behind　me。　One　moment　the　road　was　empty　and　black　before　me。　In　the　next　the　darkness　had　turned　to　men。　Two　before　me；　and　when　I　spun　about；　another　behind　me。　The　slapping　waves　had　covered　the　sound　of　their　feet；　and　the　dodging　moon　offered　me　but　glimpses　of　them　as　they　closed　the　distance　around　me。　I　set　my　back　to　the　solid　wall　of　a　warehouse；　readied　my　staff；　and　waited。
　　　　　　　I　watched　them　e；　silent　and　skulking。　I　wondered　at　that；　for　why　did　they　not　raise　a　shout；　why　did　not　the　whole　crew　e　to　watch　me　taken？　But　these　men　watched　one　another　as　much　as　they　watched　me。　They　did　not　hunt　as　a　pack；　but　each　hoped　the　others　would　die　killing　me　and　leave　the　bounty　for　the　picking。　Forged　ones；　not　raiders。
　　　　　　　A　terrible　coldness　welled　up　in　me。　The　least　sound　of　a　scuffle　would　bring　the　Raiders；　I　was　sure。　So　if　the　Forged　ones　did　not　finish　me；　the　Raiders　would。　But　when　all　roads　lead　to　death；　there　is　no　point　to　running　down　any　of　them。　I　would　take　things　as　they　came。　There　were　three　of　them。　One　had　a　knife。　But　I　had　a　staff　and　was　trained　to　use　it。　They　were　thin；　ragged；　and　at　least　as　hungry　as　I；　and　as　cold。　One；　I　think；　was　the　woman　from　the　night　before。　As　they　closed　on　me；　so　silently；　I　guessed　they　were　aware　of　the　Raiders　and　feared　them　as　much　as　I　did。　It　was　not　good　to　consider　the　desperation　that　would　prompt　them　to　still　attack　me。　But　in　the　next　breath；　I　wondered　if　Forged　ones　felt　desperation　or　anything　else。　Perhaps　they　were　too　dulled　to　realize　the　danger。
　　　　　　　All　of　the　stealthy　arcane　knowledge　Chade　had　given　me；　all　of　Hod's　brutally　elegant　strategies　for　fighting　two　or　more　opponents　went　to　the　wind。　For　as　the　first　two　stepped　into　my　range；　I　felt　the　tiny　warmth　that　was　Smithy　ebbing　in　my　grasp。　〃Smithy！〃　I　whispered；　a　desperate　plea　that　he　somehow　stay　with　me。　I　all　but　saw　a　tail　tip　stir　in　a　last　effort　at　a　wag。　Then　the　thread　snapped　and　the　spark　blinked　out。　I　was　alone。
　　　　　　　A　black　flood　of　strength　surged　through　me　like　a　madness。　I　stepped　out；　thrust　the　end　of　my　staff　deep　into　a　man's　face；　drew　it　quickly　back；　and　continued　a　swing　that　went　through　the　woman's　lower　jaw。　Plain　wood　sheared　the　lower　half　of　her　face　away；　so　forceful　was　my　blow。　I　whacked　her　again　as　she　fell；　and　it　was　like　hitting　a　netted　shark　with　a　fish　bat。　The　third　drove　into　me　solidly；　thinking；　I　suppose；　to　be　inside　my　staff's　range。　I　didn't　care。　I　dropped　my　stick　and　grappled　with　him。　He　was　bony　and　he　stank。　I　drove　him　onto　his　back；　and　his　expelled　breath　in　my　face　stank　of　carrion。　Fingers　and　teeth　I　tore　at　him；　as　far　from　human　as　he　was。　They　had　kept　me　from　Smithy　as　he　was　dying。　I　did　not　care　what　I　did　to　him　so　long　as　it　hurt　him。　He　reciprocated。　I　dragged　his　face　along　the　cobbles；　I　pushed　my　thumb　into　an　eye。　He　sank　his　teeth　into　my　wrist　and　clawed　my　cheek　bloody。　And　when　at　last　he　ceased　to　fight　against　my　strangling　grip；　I　dragged　him　to　the　seawall　and　threw　his　body　down　onto　the　rocks。
　　　　　　　I　stood　panting；　my　fists　still　clenched。　I　glared　toward　the　Raiders；　daring　them　to　e；　but　the　night　was　still；　save　for　the　waves　and　wind　and　the　soft　gargling　of　the　woman　as　she　died。　Either　the　Raiders　had　not　heard；　or　they　were　too　concerned　with　their　own　stealth　to　investigate　sounds　in　the　night。　I　waited　in　the　wind　for　someone　to　care　enough　to　e　and　kill　me。　Nothing　stirred。　An　emptiness　washed　through　me；　supplanting　my　madness。　So　much　death　in　one　night；　and　so　little　significance；　save　to　me。
　　　　　　　I　left　the　other　broken　bodies　atop　the　crumbling　seawall　for　the　waves　and　the　gulls　to　dispose　of。　I　walked　away　from　them。　I　had　felt　nothing　from　them　when　I　killed　them。　No　fear；　no　anger；　no　pain；　not　even　despair。　They　had　been　things。　And　as　I　began　my　long　walk　back　to　Buckkeep；　I　finally　felt　nothing　from　within　myself。　Perhaps；　I　thought；　Forging　is　a　contagion　and　I　have　caught　it　now。　I　could　not　bring　myself　to　care。
　　　　　　　Little　of　that　journey　stands　out　in　my　mind　now。　I　walked　all　the　way；　cold；　tired；　and　hungry。　I　encountered　no　more　Forged　ones；　and　the　few　other　travelers　I　saw　on　that　stretch　of　road　were　no　more　anxious　than　I　to　speak　to　a　stranger。　I　thought　only　of　getting　back　to　Buckkeep。　
　　　　　　　And　Burrich。　I　reached　Buckkeep　two　days　into　the　Springfest　celebration。　The　guards　at　the　gate　tried　to　stop　me　at　first。　I　looked　at　them。
　　　　　　　〃It's　the　Fitz；〃　one　gasped。　〃It　was　said　you　were　dead。〃
　　　　　　　〃Shut　up；〃　barked　the　other。　He　was　Gage；　long　known　to　me；　and　he　said　quickly；　〃Burrich's　been　hurt。　He's　up　to　the　infirmary；　boy。〃
　　　　　　　I　nodded　and　walked　past　them。
　　　　　　　In　all　my　years　at　Buckkeep；　I　had　never　been　to　the　infirmary。　Burrich　and　no　one　else　had　always　treated　my　childhood　illnesses　and　mishaps。　But　I　knew　where　it　was。　I　walked　unseeing　through　the　knots　and　gatherings　of　merrymakers；　and　suddenly　felt　as　if　I　were　six　years　old　and　e　to　Buckkeep　for　the　very　first　time。　I　had　hung　on　to　Burrich's　belt。　All　that　long　way　from　Moonseye；　with　his　leg　torn　and　bandaged。　But　not　once　had　he　put　me　on　another's　horse；　or　entrusted　my　care　to　another。　I　pushed　myself　through　the　people　with　their　bells　and　flowers　and　sweet　cakes　to　reach　the　inner　keep。　Behind　the　barracks　was　a　separate　building　of　whitewashed　stone。　There　was　no　one　there；　and　I　walked　unchallenged　through　the　antechamber　and　into　the　room　beyond。
　　　　　　　There　were　clean　strewing　herbs　on　the　floor；　and　the　wide　windows　let　in　a　flood　of　spring　air　and　light；　but　the　room　still　gave　me　a　sense　of　confinement　and　illness。　This　was　not　a　good　place　for　Burrich　to　be。　All　the　beds　were　empty；　save　one。　No　soldier　kept　to　bed　on　Springfest　days；　save　that　they　had　to。　Burrich　lay；　eyes　closed；　in　a　splash　of　sunlight　on　a　narrow　cot。　I　had　never　seen　him　so　still。　He　had　pushed　his　blankets　aside　and　his　chest　was　swathed　in　bandages。　I　went　forward　quietly　and　sat　down　on　the　floor　beside　his　bed。　He　was　very　still；　but　I　could　feel　him；　and　the　bandages　moved　with　his　slow　breathing。　I　took　his　hand。
　　　　　　　〃Fitz；〃　he　said；　without　opening　his　eyes。　He　gripped　my　hand　hard。
　　　　　　　〃Yes。〃
　　　　　　　〃You're　back。　You're　alive。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　am。　I　came　straight　here；　as　fast　as　I　could。　Oh；　Burrich；　I　feared　you　were　dead。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　thought　you　were　dead。　The　others　all　came　back　days　ago。〃　He　took　a　ragged　breath。　〃Of　course；　the　bastard　left　horses　with　all　the　others。〃
　　　　　　　〃No；〃　I　reminded　him；　not　letting　go　of　his　hand。　〃I'm　the　bastard；　remember？〃
　　　　　　　〃Sorry。〃　He　opened　his　eyes。　The　white　of　his　left　eye　was　mazed　with　blood。　He　tried　to　smile　at　me。　I　could　see　then　that　the　swelling　on　the　left　side　of　his　face　was　still　subsiding。　〃