rh.theassassinsapprentice-第74部分

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And　tea。　Go　on　now；　you　foolish　girl！〃
　　　　　　　Kettricken　scampered　off　like　a　child。　Rurisk　gestured　at　the　bed。　〃e。　Trust　me　enough　to　sit　down。　Before　you　upset　the　table　with　your　shaking。　I　am　speaking　plainly　to　you。　You　and　I；　FitzChivalry；　we　have　no　time　for　this　distrust。　There　is　much　we　must　speak　of；　you　and　I〃
　　　　　　　I　sat　down；　not　out　of　trust　so　much　as　for　fear　I　would　otherwise　collapse。　Without　formality；　Rurisk　sat　down　on　the　end　of　the　bed。　〃My　sister；〃　he　said　gravely；　〃is　impetuous。　Poor　Verity　will　find　her　more　child　than　woman；　I　fear；　and　much　of　that　is　my　fault；　I　have　spoiled　her　so。　But　although　that　explains　her　fondness　for　me；　it　does　not　excuse　her　poisoning　of　a　guest。　Especially　not　on　the　eve　of　her　wedding　to　his　uncle。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　think　I　would　have　felt　much　the　same　about　it　at　any　time；〃　I　said；　and　Rurisk　threw　back　his　head　and　laughed。
　　　　　　　〃There　is　much　of　your　father　in　you。　So　would　he　have　said；　I　am　sure。　But　I　must　explain。　She　came　to　me　days　ago；　to　tell　me　that　you　were　ing　to　make　an　end　of　me。　I　told　her　then　that　it　was　not　her　concern；　and　I　would　take　care　of　it。　But；　as　I　have　said；　she　is　impulsive。　Yesterday　she　saw　an　opportunity　and　took　it。　With　no　regard　as　to　how　the　death　of　a　guest　might　affect　a　carefully　negotiated　wedding。　She　thought　only　to　do　away　with　you　before　vows　bound　her　to　the　Six　Duchies　and　made　such　an　act　unthinkable。　I　should　have　suspected　it　when　she　took　you　so　quickly　to　the　gardens。〃
　　　　　　　〃The　herbs　she　gave　me？〃
　　　　　　　He　nodded；　and　I　felt　a　fool。　〃But　after　you　had　eaten　them；　you　spoke　so　fair　to　her　that　she　came　to　doubt　you　could　be　what　it　was　said　you　were。　So　she　asked　you；　but　you　turned　the　question　aside　by　pretending　to　not　understand。　So　again　she　doubted　you。　Still；　it　should　not　have　taken　her　all　night　to　e　to　me　with　her　tale　of　what　she　had　done；　and　her　doubts　of　the　wisdom　of　it。　For　that；　I　apologize。〃
　　　　　　　〃Too　late　to　apologize。　I　have　already　forgiven　you；〃　I　heard　myself　say。
　　　　　　　Rurisk　looked　at　me。　〃That　was　your　father's　saying　as　well。〃　He　glanced　at　the　door　a　moment　before　Kettricken　came　through　it。　Once　she　was　within　the　room；　he　slid　the　screen　shut　and　took　the　tray　from　her。　〃Sit　down；〃　he　told　her　sternly。　〃And　see　another　way　of　dealing　with　an　assassin。〃　He　lifted　a　heavy　mug　from　the　tray　and　drank　deeply　of　it　before　passing　it　to　me。　He　shot　Kettricken　another　glance。　〃And　if　that　was　poisoned；　you　have　just　killed　your　brother　as　well。〃　He　broke　an　apple　pastry　into　three　portions。　〃Select　one；〃　he　told　me；　and　then　took　that　one　for　himself；　and　gave　the　next　I　chose　to　Kettricken。　〃So　you　may　see　there　is　nothing　amiss　with　this　food。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　see　small　reason　why　you　would　give　me　poison　this　morning　after　ing　to　tell　me　I　was　poisoned　last　night；〃　I　admitted。　Still；　my　palate　was　alive；　questing　for　the　slightest　mistaste。　But　there　was　none。　It　was　rich；　flaky　pastry　stuffed　with　ripe　apples　and　spices。　Even　if　I　had　not　been　so　empty；　it　would　have　been　delicious。
　　　　　　　〃Exactly；〃　Rurisk　said　in　a　sticky　voice；　and　then　swallowed。　〃And；　if　you　were　an　assassin〃…here　he　shot　a　warning　to　silence　to　Kettricken　〃you　would　find　yourself　in　the　same　position。　Some　murders　are　only　profitable　if　no　one　else　knows　they　were　murders。　Such　would　be　my　death。　Were　you　to　slay　me　now；　indeed；　were　I　to　die　within　the　next　six　months；　Kettricken　and　Jonqui　both　would　be　shrieking　to　the　stars　that　I　had　been　assassinated。　Scarcely　a　good　foundation　for　an　alliance　of　peoples。　Do　you　agree？〃
　　　　　　　I　managed　a　nod。　The　warm　broth　in　the　mug　had　stilled　most　of　my　trembling；　and　the　sweet　pastry　tasted　fit　for　a　god。
　　　　　　　〃So。　We　agree　that　were　you　an　assassin；　there　would　now　be　no　profit　to　carrying　out　my　murder。　Indeed；　there　would　be　a　very　great　loss　to　you　if　I　died。　For　my　father　does　not　look　on　this　alliance　with　the　favor　that　I　do。　Oh；　he　knows　it　is　wise；　for　now。　But　I　see　it　as　more　than　wise。　I　see　it　as　necessary。
　　　　　　　〃Tell　this　to　King　Shrewd。　Our　population　grows；　but　there　is　a　limit　to　our　arable　soil。　Wild　game　will　only　feed　so　many。　es　a　time　when　a　country　must　open　itself　to　trade；　especially　so　rocky　and　mountainous　a　country　as　mine。　You　have　heard；　perhaps；　that　the　Jhaampe　way　is　that　the　ruler　is　the　servant　of　his　people？　Well；　I　serve　them　in　this　wise。　I　marry　my　beloved　younger　sister　away；　in　the　hopes　of　winning　grain　and　trade　routes　and　lowland　goods　for　my　people；　and　grazing　rights　in　the　cold　part　of　the　year　when　our　pastures　are　under　snow。　For　this；　too；　I　am　willing　to　give　you　timbers；　the　great　straight　timbers　that　Verity　will　need　to　build　his　warships。　Our　mountains　grow　white　oak　such　as　you　have　never　seen。　This　is　a　thing　my　father　would　refuse。　He　has　the　old　feelings　about　the　cutting　of　live　trees。　And　like　Regal；　he　sees　your　coast　as　a　liability；　your　ocean　as　a　great　barrier。　But　I　see　it　as　your　father　did　…　a　wide　road　that　leads　in　all　directions；　and　your　coast　as　our　access　to　it。　And　I　see　no　offense　in　using　trees　uprooted　by　the　annual　floods　and　windstorms。〃
　　　　　　　I　held　my　breath　a　moment。　This　was　a　momentous　concession。　I　found　myself　nodding　to　his　words。
　　　　　　　〃So；　will　you　carry　my　words　to　King　Shrewd；　and　say　to　him　that　it　is　better　to　have　a　live　friend　in　me？〃
　　　　　　　I　could　think　of　no　reason　not　to　agree。
　　　　　　　〃Aren't　you　going　to　ask　him　if　he　intended　to　poison　you？〃　Kettricken　demanded。
　　　　　　　〃If　he　answered　yes；　you　would　never　trust　him。　If　he　answered　no；　you　would　probably　not　believe　him；　and　think　him　a　liar　as　well　as　an　assassin。　Besides；　is　not　one　admitted　poisoner　in　this　room　enough？〃
　　　　　　　Kettricken　ducked　her　head　and　a　flush　suffused　her　cheeks。
　　　　　　　〃So　e；〃　Rurisk　told　her；　and　held　out　a　conciliatory　hand。　〃Our　guest　must　get　what　little　rest　he　can　before　the　day's　festivities。　And　we　must　be　back　to　our　chambers　before　the　whole　household　wonders　why　we　are　dashing　about　in　our　nightclothes。〃
　　　　　　　And　they　left　me；　to　lie　back　on　my　bed　and　wonder。　What　manner　of　folk　were　these　that　I　dealt　with？　Could　I　believe　their　open　honesty；　or　was　it　a　magnificent　sham　for　Eda　knew　what　ends？　I　wished　Chade　were　here。　More　and　more；　I　felt　nothing　was　as　it　seemed。　I　dared　not　doze；　for　I　knew　if　I　fell　asleep；　nothing　would　wake　me　before　nightfall。　Servants　came　soon　with　pitchers　of　warm　water　and　cool；　and　fruit　and　cheese　on　a　platter。　Reminding　myself　that　these　〃servants〃　might　be　better　born　than　myself；　I　treated　them　all　with　great　courtesy　and　later　wondered　if　that　might　not　be　the　secret　of　the　harmonious　household；　that　all　servants　or　royalty；　be　treated　with　the　same　courtesy。
　　　　　　　It　was　a　day　of　great　festivity。　The　entries　to　the　palace　had　been　thrown　wide…open；　and　folk　had　e　from　every　vale　and　dell　of　the　Mountain　Kingdom　to　witness　this　pledging。　Poets　and　minstrels　performed；　and　more　gifts　were　exchanged；　including　my　formal　presentation　of　the　herbals　and　herb　starts。　The　breeding　stock　that　had　been　sent　from　the　Six　Duchies　was　displayed　and　then　gifted　forth　again　to　those　most　in　need　of　it；　or　most　likely　to　be　successful　with　it。　A　single　ram　or　bull；　with　a　female　or　two；　might　be　sent　out　as　a　mon　gift　to　the　whole　village。　All　of　the　gifts；　whether　fowl　or　beast　or　grain　or　metal；　were　brought　within　the　palace　so　that　all　might　admire　them。
　　　　　　　Burrich　was　there；　the　first　time　I　had　glimpsed　him　in　days。　He　must　have　been　up　before　dawn；　to　have　his　charges　so　glossy。　Every　hoof　was　freshly　oiled；　every　mane　and　tail　plaited　with　bright　ribbons　and　bells。　The　mare　to　be　given　to　Kettricken　was　saddled　and　bridled　in　harness　of　finest　leather；　and　her　mane　and　tail　hung　with　so　many　tiny　silver　bells　that　each　swish　of　her　tail　was　a　chorus　of　tinkling。　Our　horses　were　different　creatures　from　the　small　and　shaggy　stock　of　the　mountain　folk；　and　attracted　quite　a　crowd。　Burrich　looked　weary；　yet　proud；　and　his　horses　stood　calmly　amidst　the　clamor。　Kettricken　spent　a　deal　of　time　admiring　her　mare；　and　I　saw　her　courtesy　and　deference　thawing　Burrich's　reserve。　When　I　drew　closer；　I　was　surprised　to　hear　him　speaking　in　hesitant　but　clear　Chyurda。
　　　　　　　But　a　greater　surprise　was　in　store　for　me　that　afternoon。　Food　had　been　set　out　on　long　tables；　and　all；　palace　residents　and　visitors；　dined　freely。　Much　had　e　from　the　kitchens　of　the　palace；　but　much　more　from　the　mountain　folk　themselves。　They　came　forward；　without　hesitation；　to　set　out　wheels　of　cheese；　and　loaves　of　dark　bread；　and　dried　or　smoked　meats；　or　pickles　or　bowls　of　fruit。　It　would　have　been　tempting；　had　not　my　stomach　still　been　so　touchy。　But　the　way　the　food　was　given　was　what　impressed　me。　It　was　unquestioning；　this　giving　and　taking　between　the　royalty　and　their　subjects。　I　noted；　too；　there　were　no　sentries　or　guards　of　any　kind　upon　the　doors。　And　all　mingled　and　talked　as　they　ate。
　　　　　　　At　noon　precisely　a　silence　fell　over　the　crowd。　The　Princess　Kettricken　alone　ascended　the　central　dais。　In　simple　language；　she　announced　to　all　that　she　now　belonged　to　the　Six　Duchies　and　hoped　to　serve　that　land　well。　She　thanked　her　land　for　all　it　had　ever　done　for　her；　for　the　food　it　had　grown　to　feed　her；　the　waters　of　its　snows　and　rivers；　the　air　of　the　mountain　breezes。　She　reminded　all　that　she　did　not　change　her　allegiance　due　to　any　lack　of　love　for　her　land；　but　rather　in　the　hopes　of　it　benefiting　both　the　lands。　All　kept　silent　as　she　spoke；　and　as　she　descended　from　the　dais。　And　then　the　merriment　resumed。
　　　　　　　Rurisk　came；　seeking　me　out；　to　see　how　I　did。　I　did　my　best　to　assure　him　I　was　fully　recovered；　though　in　truth　I　longed　to　be　sleeping。　The　clothing　Mistress　Hasty　had　decreed　for　me　was　of　the　latest　court　fashion　and　featured　highly　inconvenient　sleeves　and　tassels　that　fell　into　anything　I　tried　to　do　or　eat；　and　an　unfortably　snug　waist。　I　longed　to　be　out　of　the　press　of　people；　where　I　could　loosen　some　laces　and　get　rid　of　the　collar；　but　knew　that　if　I　left　now；　Chade　would　frown　when　I　reported　to　him　and　demand　that　I　somehow　know　all　that　had　happened　while　I　was　absent。　Rurisk；　I　think；　sensed　my　need　for　a　bit　of　qu