rh.theassassinsapprentice-第35章
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es greedily。
〃Churl！〃 shrilled Lady Thyme from inside her pavilion。 〃What are you doing up there？ Discussing your betters； I've no doubt。 Get back to your position！ How are you to see to my needs if you're gallivanting ahead like that？〃
I quickly reined Sooty in and dropped back to a position alongside the litter。 I swallowed a great lump of bread and bacon and managed to ask； 〃Is there anything your ladyship requires？〃
〃Don't talk with your mouth full；〃 she snapped。 〃And stop bothering me。 Stupid clod。〃
And so it went。 The road followed the coastline； and at our leaden pace it took us a full five days to reach Neatbay。 Other than two small villages； our scenery consisted of windswept cliffs； gulls； meadows； and occasional stands of twisted and stunted trees。 Yet to me it seemed full of beauties and wonders； for every bend in the road brought me to a place I had never seen before。
As our journey wore on； Lady Thyme became more tyrannical。 By the fourth day she had a constant stream of plaints； few of which I could do anything about。 Her litter swayed too much； it was making her ill。 The water I brought from a stream was too cold； that from my own water bags too warm。 The men and horses ahead of us were raising too much dust； they were doing it on purpose； she was sure。 And tell them to stop singing those rude songs。 With her to deal with I had no time to think about killing or not killing Lord Kelvar； even if I had wanted to。
Early on the fifth day we saw the rising smoke of Neatbay。 By noon we could pick out the larger buildings and the Neatbay watchtower on the cliffs above the town。 Neatbay was a much gentler piece of land than Buckkeep。 Our road wound down through a wide valley。 The blue waters of Neatbay itself opened wide before us。 The beaches were sandy； and their fishing fleet was all shallow draft vessels with flat bottoms； or spunky little dories that rode the waves like gulls。 Neatbay didn't have the deep anchorage that Buckkeep did； so it was not the shipping and trading port that we were； but all the same it seemed to me it would have been a fine place to live。
Kelvar sent an honor guard to meet us； so there was a delay as they exchanged formalities with Verity's troops。 〃Like two dogs sniffing each other's bung holes；〃 Hands observed sourly。 By standing in my stirrups； I was able to see far enough down the line to observe the official posturings； and grudgingly nodded my agreement。 Eventually we got under way again； and were soon riding through the streets of Neatbay Town itself。
Everyone else proceeded straight up to Kelvar's keep； but Hands and I were obliged to escort Lady Thyme's litter through several back streets to reach the particular inn that she insisted on using。 From the look on the chambermaid's face； she had guested there before。 Hands took the litter horses and litter to the stables； but I had to endure her leaning heavily on my arm as I escorted her to her chamber。 I wondered what she had eaten that had been so foully spiced as to make her every breath a trial to me。 She dismissed me at the door； warning myriad punishments if I didn't return promptly in seven days。 As I left I felt sympathy for the chambermaid； for Lady Thyme's voice was lifted in a loud tirade about thieving maids she had encountered in the past； and exactly how she wanted the bed linens arranged on the bed。
With a light heart I mounted Sooty and called to Hands to make haste。 We cantered through the streets of Neatbay and managed to rejoin the tail of Verity's procession as they entered Kelvar's keep。 Bayguard was built on flat land that offered little natural defense； but was fortified by a series of walls and ditches that an enemy would have had to surmount before facing the stout stone walls of the keep。 Hands told me that raiders had never gotten past the second ditch and I believed him。 Workmen were doing maintenance on the walls and ditches as we passed； but they halted and watched in wonder as the King…in…Waiting came to Bayguard。
Once keep gates closed behind us； there was another interminable weling ceremony。 Men and horses and all； we were kept standing in the midday sun while Kelvar and Bayguard weled Verity。 Horns sounded and then the mutter of official voicings muted by shifting horses and men。 But at last it was over。 This was signaled by a sudden general movement of men and beasts as the formations ahead of us broke up。
Men dismounted and Kelvar's stable folk were suddenly among us； directing us where to water our mounts； where we might rest for the night； and most important to any soldier； where we might wash ourselves and eat。 I fell in beside Hands as we led Sooty and his pony toward the stables。 I heard my name called and turned to see Sig from Buckkeep pointing me out to someone in Kelvar's colors。
〃There he be…that's the Fitz。 Ho； Fitz！ Sitswell here says you're summoned。 Verity wants you in his chamber； Leon's sick。 Hands； you take Sooty for the Fitz。〃
I could almost feel the food being snatched from my jaws。 But I took a breath and presented a cheerful countenance to Sitswell； as Burrich had counseled me。 I doubt that dour man even noticed。 To him I was just one more boy underfoot on a hectic day。 He took me to Verity's chamber and left me； obviously relieved to return to his stables。 I tapped softly and Verity's man opened the door at once。
〃Ah！ Thank Eda it's you。 e in； then； for the beast won't eat and Verity's sure it's serious。 Hurry up； Fitz。〃
The man wore Verity's badge； but was no one I remembered having met。 Sometimes it was disconcerting how many folk knew who I was when I had no inkling who they were。 In an adjoining chamber Verity was splashing and instructing someone loudly about what garments he wished for the evening。 But he was not my concern。 Leon was。
I quested toward him； for I had no qualms about it when Burrich wasn't about。 Leon lifted his bony head and regarded me with martyred eyes。 He was lying on Verity's sweaty shirt in a corner by a cold hearth。 He was too hot； he was bored； and if we weren't going to hunt anything； he wanted to go home。
I made a show of running my hands over him and lifting his lips to examine his gums and then pressing my hand down firmly on his belly。 I finished all this by scratching behind his ears and then told Verity's man； 〃There's nothing wrong with him； he just isn't hungry。 Let's give him a bowl of cold water and wait。 When he wants to eat； he'll let us know。 And let's take away all this before it spoils in this heat and he eats it anyway and bees really sick。〃 I referred to a dish already overfilled with scraps of pastries from a tray that had been set for Verity。 None of it was fit for the dog； but I was so hungry I wouldn't have minded dining off the scraps myself； in fact my stomach growled at the sight of it。 〃I wonder if I found the kitchens； if they would have a fresh beef bone for him？ Something that's more toy than food is what he would wele most now 。。。。
〃Fitz？ Is that you？ In here； boy！ What's troubling my Leon？〃
〃I'll fetch the bone；〃 the man assured me； and I rose and stepped to the entry of the adjoining room。
Verity rose dripping from his bath and took the proffered towel from his serving man。 He toweled his hair briskly and then again demanded as he dried himself； 〃What's the matter with Leon？〃
That was Verity's way。 Weeks had passed since we had last spoken； but he took no time for greetings。 Chade said it was a lack in him； that he didn't make his men feel their importance to him。 I think he believed that if anything significant had happened to me； someone would have told him。 He had a bluff heartiness to him that I enjoyed； an attitude that things must be going well unless someone had told him otherwise。
〃Not much is wrong with him； sir。 He's a bit out of sorts from the heat and from traveling。 A night's rest in a cool place will perk him up； but I'd not fill him full of pastry bits and suety things； not in this hot weather。〃
〃Well。〃 Verity bent down to dry his legs。 〃Like as not； you're right； boy。 Burrich says you've a way with the hounds； and I won't ignor
