rh.theassassinsapprentice-第66部分

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me；　and　thought　of　drawing　on　my　strength　again。　It　was　a　frightening　thought；　but　I　steeled　myself　to　the　request。　But　he　only　smiled　at　me　kindly；　if　absently；　as　if　no　such　thought　had　ever　crossed　his　mind。　And　as　he　rose　and　walked　past　my　chair；　he　tousled　my　hair　as　if　I　were　Leon。
　　　　　　　〃Take　my　dog　out　for　me；　even　if　it　is　only　for　rabbits。　I　hate　to　leave　him　in　my　rooms　each　day；　but　his　poor　dumb　pleading　was　a　distraction　from　what　I　must　do。〃
　　　　　　　I　nodded；　surprised　at　what　I　felt　emanating　from　him。　A　shadow　of　the　same　pain　I　had　felt　at　being　separated　from　my　own　dogs。
　　　　　　　〃Verity。〃
　　　　　　　He　turned　at　Shrewd's　call。
　　　　　　　〃Almost　I　forgot　to　tell　you　why　I　had　called　you　here。　It　is；　of　course；　the　mountain　princess。　Ketkin；　I　think　her　name　was　。。。。
　　　　　　　〃Kettricken。　I　at　least　remember　that　much。　A　skinny　little　child；　the　last　time　I　saw　her。　So；　she　is　the　one　you　have　selected？〃
　　　　　　　〃Yes。　For　all　the　reasons　we　have　already　discussed。　And　a　day　has　been　set。　Ten　days　before　our　Harvest　Feast。　You　will　have　to　leave　here　during　the　first　part　of　Reaptime　in　order　to　reach　there　in　time。　There　will　be　a　ceremony　there；　before　her　own　people；　binding　the　two　of　you　and　sealing　all　the　agreements；　and　a　formal　wedding　later；　when　you　arrive　back　here　with　her。　Regal　sends　word　that　you　must…〃
　　　　　　　Verity　had　halted；　and　his　face　darkened　with　frustration。　〃I　cannot。　You　know　I　cannot。　If　I　leave　off　my　work　here　while　it　is　still　Reaptime；　there　will　be　nothing　to　bring　a　bride　back　to。　Always；　the　Outislanders　have　been　greediest　and　most　reckless　in　the　final　month　before　the　winter　storms　drive　them　back　to　their　own　wretched　shore。　Do　you　think　it　will　be　any　different　this　year？　Like　as　not　I　would　bring　Kettricken　back　here　to　find　them　feasting　in　our　own　Buckkeep；　with　your　head　on　a　pike　to　greet　me！〃
　　　　　　　King　Shrewd　looked　angered；　but　kept　his　temper　as　he　asked；　〃Do　you　really　think　they　could　press　us　that　greatly　if　you　gave　off　your　efforts　for　twenty　days　or　so？〃
　　　　　　　〃I　know　it；〃　Verity　said　wearily。　〃I　know　it　as　surely　as　I　know　that　I　should　be　at　my　post　right　now；　not　arguing　here　with　you。　Father；　tell　them　it　must　be　put　off。　I'll　go　for　her　as　soon　as　we've　a　good　coat　of　snow　on　the　ground；　and　a　blessed　gale　lashing　all　ships　into　their　ports。〃
　　　　　　　〃It　cannot　be；〃　Shrewd　said　regretfully。　〃They　have　beliefs　of　their　own；　up　in　the　mountains。　A　wedding　made　in　winter　yields　a　barren　harvest。　You　must　take　her　in　the　fall；　when　the　lands　are　yielding；　or　in　late　spring；　when　they　till　their　little　mountain　fields。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　cannot。　By　the　time　spring　es　to　their　mountains；　it　is　fair　weather　here；　with　Raiders　on　our　doorsills。　Surely　they　must　understand　that！〃　Verity　moved　his　head　about；　like　a　restless　horse　on　a　short　lead。　He　did　not　want　to　be　here。　Distasteful　as　he　found　his　Skill　work；　it　called　to　him。　He　wanted　to　go　to　it；　wanted　it　in　a　way　that　had　nothing　to　do　with　protecting　his　kingdom。　I　wondered　if　Shrewd　knew　that。　I　wondered　if　Verity　did。
　　　　　　　〃To　understand　something　is　one　thing；〃　the　King　expounded。　〃To　insist　they　flaunt　their　traditions　is　another。　Verity；　this　must　be　so；　done　now。〃　Shrewd　rubbed　his　head　as　if　it　pained　him。　〃We　need　this　joining。　We　need　her　soldiers；　we　need　her　marriage　gifts；　we　need　her　father　at　our　back。　It　cannot　wait。　Could　not　you　perhaps　go　in　a　closed　litter；　unhampered　by　managing　a　'horse；　and　continue　your　Skill　work　as　you　travel？　It　might　even　do　you　good　to　get　out　and　about　a　bit；　to　have　a　little　fresh　air　and…〃
　　　　　　　〃NO！〃　Verity　bellowed　the　word；　and　Shrewd　turned　where　he　stood；　almost　as　if　he　were　at　bay　against　the　windowsill。　Verity　advanced　to　the　table　and　pounded　upon　it；　showing　a　temper　I　had　never　suspected　in　him。　〃No　and　no　and　no！　I　cannot　do　the　work　I　must　do　to　keep　the　Raiders　from　our　coast　while　being　rocked　and　jolted　in　a　horse　litter。　And　no；　I　will　not　go　to　this　bride　you　have　chosen　for　me；　to　this　woman　I　scarce　recall；　in　a　litter　like　an　invalid　or　a　witling。　I　will　not　have　her　see　me　so；　nor　would　I　have　my　men　sniggering　behind　me；　saying；　'Oh；　this　is　what　brave　Verity　has　e　to；　riding　like　a　palsied　old　man；　pandered　off　to　some　woman　as　if　he　were　an　Outislander　whore。'　Where　are　your　wits　that　you　can　think　such　stupid　plans？　You've　been　among　the　mountain　folk；　you　know　their　ways。　Think　you　a　woman　of　theirs　would　accept　a　man　who　came　to　her　in　such　a　sickly　way？　Even　their　royals　expose　a　child　if　it　is　born　less　than　whole。　You'd　spoil　your　own　plan；　and　leave　the　Six　Duchies　to　the　Raiders　while　you　did　it。〃
　　　　　　　〃Then　perhaps…〃
　　　　　　　〃Then　perhaps　there　is　a　Red…Ship　right　now；　not　so　far　that　they　cannot　see　Egg　Island；　and　already　the　captain　of　it　is　discounting　the　dream　of　ill　omen　he　had　last　night；　and　the　navigator　is　correcting　his　course；　wondering　how　he　could　have　so　mistaken　the　landmarks　of　our　coastline。　Already　all　the　work　I　did　last　night　while　you　slept　and　Regal　danced　and　drank　with　his　courtiers　is　ing　undone；　while　we　stand　here　and　yatter　at　one　another。　Father；　arrange　it。　Arrange　it　any　way　you　wish　and　can；　so　long　as　it　does　not　involve　me　doing　anything　save　the　Skill　while　fair　weather　plagues　our　coast。〃　Verity　had　been　moving　as　he　spoke；　and　the　slamming　of　the　King's　chamber　door　almost　drowned　out　his　final　words。
　　　　　　　Shrewd　stood　and　stared　at　the　door　for　some　moments。　Then　he　passed　his　hand　across　his　eyes；　rubbing　them；　but　for　weariness　or　tears　or　just　a　bit　of　dust；　I　could　not　tell。　He　looked　about　the　room；　frowning　when　his　eyes　encountered　me；　as　if　I　were　a　thing　puzzlingly　out　of　place。　Then；　as　if　recalling　why　I　were　there；　he　observed　dryly；　〃Well；　that　went　well；　didn't　it？　Still　and　all；　a　way　must　be　found。　And　when　Verity　rides　to　claim　his　bride；　you　will　go　with　him。〃
　　　　　　　〃If　you　wish；　my　king；〃　I　said　quietly。
　　　　　　　〃I　do。〃　He　cleared　his　throat；　then　turned　to　look　out　his　window　again。　〃The　Princess　has　a　single　sibling；　an　older　brother。　He　is　not　a　healthy　man。　Oh；　he　was　well　and　strong　once；　but　on　the　Ice　Fields　he　took　an　arrow　through　his　chest。　Passed　clean　through　him；　so　Regal　was　told。　And　the　wounds　on　his　chest　and　back　healed。　But　in　winters；　he　coughs　blood；　and　in　summer　he　cannot　sit　a　horse　nor　drill　his　men　for　more　than　half　the　morning。　Knowing　the　mountain　folk；　it　is　full　surprising　that　he　is　their　King…in…Waiting。〃
　　　　　　　I　thought　quietly　for　a　moment。　〃Among　the　mountain　folk　the　custom　is　the　same　as　ours。　Male　or　female；　the　offspring　inherit；　by　the　order　of　their　birth。〃
　　　　　　　〃Yes。　That　is　so；〃　Shrewd　said　quietly；　and　I　knew　that　already　he　was　thinking　that　Seven　Duchies　might　be　stronger　than　Six。
　　　　　　　〃And　Princess　Kettricken's　father；〃　I　asked；　〃how　is　his　health？〃
　　　　　　　〃As　hale　and　hearty　as　one　could　wish；　for　a　man　of　his　years。　I　am　sure　he　will　reign　long　and　well；　for　at　least　another　decade；　keeping　his　kingdom　whole　and　safe　for　his　heir。〃
　　　　　　　〃Probably　by　then　our　troubles　with　the　Red…Ships　will　long　be　over。　Verity　will　be　free　to　turn　his　mind　to　other　things。〃
　　　　　　　〃Probably；〃　King　Shrewd　agreed　quietly。　His　eyes　finally　met　mine。　〃When　Verity　goes　to　claim　his　bride；　you　will　go　with　him；〃　he　said　again。　〃You　understand　what　your　duties　will　be？　I　trust　to　your　discretion。〃
　　　　　　　I　inclined　my　head　to　him。　〃As　you　wish；　my　king。〃
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　CHAPTER　NINETEEN
　　　　　　　Journey
　　　　　　　TO　SPEAK　OF　THE　Mountain　Kingdom　as　a　kingdom　is　to　start　out　with　a　basic　misunderstanding　of　the　area　and　the　folk　who　people　it。　It　is　equally　inaccurate　to　refer　to　the　region　as　Chyurda；　although　the　Chyurda　do　make　up　the　dominant　folk　there。　Rather　than　one　stretch　of　united　countryside；　the　Mountain　Kingdom　consists　of　various　hamlets　clinging　to　the　mountainsides；　of　small　vales　of　arable　land；　of　trading　hamlets　sprung　up　along　the　rough　roads　that　lead　to　the　passes；　and　clans　of　nomadic　herders　and　hunters　who　range　the　inhospitable　countryside　in　between。　Such　a　diverse　people　are　unlikely　to　unite；　for　their　interests　are　often　in　conflict。　Strangely；　though；　the　only　force　more　powerful　than　each　group's　independence　and　insular　ways　is　the　loyalty　they　bear　to　the　〃King〃　of　the　mountain　folk。
　　　　　　　Traditions　tell　us　that　this　line　was　begun　by　a　prophet…judge；　a　woman　who　was　not　only　wise；　but　also　a　philosopher　who　founded　a　theory　of　ruling　whose　keystone　is　that　the　leader　is　the　ultimate　servant　of　the　people；　and　must　be　totally　selfless　in　that　regard。　There　was　no　definite　time　when　the　judge　became　the　King；　rather　it　was　a　gradual　transition；　as　ward　of　the　fairness　and　wisdom　of　the　holy　one　at　Jhaampe　spread。　As　more　and　more　folk　sought　counsel　there；　willing　to　be　bound　by　the　decision　of　the　Judge；　it　was　only　natural　that　the　laws　of　that　settlement　came　to　be　respected　throughout　the　mountains；　and　that　more　and　more　folk　adopted　Jhaampe　laws　as　their　own。　And　so　judges　became　Kings；　but；　amazingly；　retained　their　self…imposed　decree　of　servitude　and　self…sacrifice　for　their　people。　The　Jhaampe　tradition　is　rife　with　tales　of　Kings　and　Queens　who　sacrificed　themselves　for　their　folk；　in　every　conceivable　way；　from　fending　wild　animals　off　shepherd　children　to　offering　themselves　as　hostages　in　times　of　feud。
　　　　　　　Tales　have　been　told　that　make　the　mountain　folk　out　to　be　harsh；　almost　savage。　In　truth；　the　land　they　dwell　in　is　unpromising；　and　their　laws　mirror　this　condition。　It　is　true　that　badly　formed　infants　are　exposed　or；　more　monly；　drowned　or　drugged　to　death。　The　elderly　often　choose　Sequestering；　a　self…imposed　exile　where　cold　and　starvation　end　all　infirmities。　A　man　who　breaks　his　word　may　have　his　tongue　notched　as　well　as　having　to　surrender　double　the　value　of　his　original　bargain。　Such　customs　may　seem　quaintly　barbaric　to　those　in　the　more　settled　of　the　Six　Duchies；　but　they　are　peculiarly　suited　to　the　world　of　the　Mountain　Kingdom。
　　　　　　　

　　　　　　　In　the　end；　Verity　had　his　way。　There　was　no　sweetness　in　the　triumph　for　him；　I　am　sure；　for　his　own　stubborn　insistence　was　backed　by　a　sudden　increase　in　the　frequency　of　the　raids。　In　the　space　of　a　month；　two