rh.theassassinsapprentice-第49章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


I　juggled　food　and　mug　into　place。　I　felt　her　eyes　on　me　as　I　sat。　Her　own　food　remained　ignored　before　her。　I　ducked　my　head　to　avoid　that　gaze；　and　ate　quickly；　as　furtively　as　a　rat　in　a　corner　who　suspects　a　cat　is　behind　the　door；　waiting。　She　did　not　stare　rudely；　but　openly　watched　me；　with　the　sort　of　observation　that　made　my　hands　clumsy　and　led　to　my　acute　awareness　that　I　had　just　unthinkingly　wiped　my　mouth　on　the　back　of　my　sleeve。
　　　　　　　I　could　think　of　nothing　to　say；　and　yet　the　silence　jabbed　at　me。　The　biscuit　seemed　dry　in　my　mouth；　making　me　cough；　and　when　I　tried　to　wash　it　down　with　ale；　I　choked。　Her　eyebrows　twitched；　her　mouth　set　more　firmly。　Even　with　my　eyes　lowered　to　my　plate；　I　felt　her　gaze。　I　rushed　through　my　food；　wanting　only　to　escape　her　hazel　eyes　and　straight　silent　mouth。　I　pushed　the　last　hunks　of　bread　and　cheese　into　my　mouth　and　stood　up　quickly；　bumping　against　the　table　and　almost　knocking　the　bench　over　in　my　haste。　I　headed　toward　the　door；　then　remembered　Burrich's　instructions　about　excusing　oneself　from　a　lady's　presence。　I　swallowed　my　half…chewed　mouthful。
　　　　　　　〃Good　night　to　you；　lady；〃　I　muttered；　thinking　the　words　not　quite　right；　but　unable　to　summon　better。　I　crabbed　toward　the　door。
　　　　　　　〃Wait；〃　she　said；　and　when　I　paused；　she　asked；　〃Do　you　sleep　upstairs；　or　out　in　the　stables？〃
　　　　　　　〃Both。　Sometimes。　I　mean；　either。　Ah；　good　night；　then；　lady。〃　I　turned　and　all　but　fled。　I　was　halfway　up　the　stairs　before　I　wondered　at　the　strangeness　of　her　question。　It　was　only　when　I　went　to　undress　for　bed　that　I　realized　I　still　gripped　my　empty　ale　mug。　I　went　to　sleep；　feeling　a　fool；　and　wondering　why。
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　CHAPTER　TWELVE
　　　　　　　Patience
　　　　　　　THE　RED…SHIP　RAIDERS　WERE　a　misery　and　an　affliction　to　their　own　folk　long　before　they　troubled　the　shores　of　the　Six　Duchies。　From　obscure　cult　beginnings；　they　rose　to　both　religious　and　political　power　by　means　of　ruthless　tactics。　Chiefs　and　headmen　who　refused　to　align　with　their　beliefs　often　found　that　their　wives　and　children　had　bee　the　victims　of　what　we　have　e　to　call　Forging；　in　memory　of　the　ill…fated　town　of　Forge。　Hard…hearted　and　cruel　as　we　consider　the　Outislanders　to　be；　they　have　in　their　tradition　a　strong　vein　of　honor　and　heinous　penalties　for　those　who　break　the　kin　rules。　Imagine　the　anguish　of　the　Outislander　father　whose　son　has　been　Forged。　He　must　either　conceal　his　son's　crimes　when　the　boy　lies　to　him；　steals　from　him；　and　forces　himself　upon　the　household　women；　or　see　the　boy　flayed　alive　for　his　crimes　and　suffer　the　losses　of　both　heir　and　the　respect　of　the　other　houses。　The　threat　of　Forging　was　a　powerful　deterrent　to　opposing　the　political　power　of　the　Red…Ship　Raiders。
　　　　　　　By　the　time　the　Red…Ship　Raiders　began　to　seriously　harry　our　shores；　they　had　subdued　most　opposition　in　the　Out　Islands。　Those　who　openly　opposed　them　died　or　fled。　Others　grudgingly　paid　tribute　and　clenched　their　teeth　against　the　outrages　of　those　who　controlled　the　cult。　But　many　gladly　joined　the　ranks；　and　painted　the　hulls　of　their　raiding　vessels　red　and　never　questioned　the　rightness　of　what　they　did。　It　seems　likely　that　these　converts　were　formed　mostly　from　the　lesser　houses；　who　had　never　before　been　offered　the　opportunity　to　rise　in　influence。　But　he　who　controlled　the　Red…Ship　Raiders　cared　nothing　for　who　a　man's　forebears　had　been；　so　long　as　he　had　the　man's　unswerving　loyalty。
　　　　　　　

　　　　　　　I　saw　the　lady　twice　more　before　I　discovered　who　she　was。　The　second　time　I　saw　her　was　the　next　night；　at　about　the　same　hour。　Molly　had　been　busy　with　her　berries；　so　I　had　gone　out　for　an　evening　of　tavern　music　with　Kerry　and　Dirk。　I　had　had　perhaps　one　or　at　most　two　mugs　more　of　ale　than　I　should　have。　I　was　neither　dizzy　nor　sick；　but　I　was　placing　my　feet　carefully；　for　I　had　already　taken　one　tumble　in　a　pothole　on　the　dusky　road。
　　　　　　　Separate　but　adjacent　to　the　dusty　kitchen　courtyard　with　its　cobbles　and　wagon　docks　is　a　hedged　area。　It　is　monly　referred　to　as　the　Women's　Garden；　not　because　it　is　exclusively　their　province　but　simply　because　they　have　the　tending　and　the　knowing　of　it。　It　is　a　pleasant　place；　with　a　pond　in　the　middle；　and　many　low　beds　of　herbs　set　among　flowering　plantings；　fruit　vines；　and　green　stoned　pathways。　I　knew　better　than　to　go　straight　to　bed　when　I　was　in　this　condition。　If　I　attempted　to　sleep　now；　the　bed　would　begin　to　spin　and　sway；　and　within　an　hour　I　would　be　puking　sick。　It　had　been　a　pleasant　evening；　and　that　seemed　a　wretched　way　to　end　it；　so　I　took　myself　to　the　Women's　Garden　instead　of　my　room。
　　　　　　　In　one　angle　of　the　garden；　between　a　sun…warmed　wall　and　a　smaller　pond；　there　grow　seven　varieties　of　thyme。　Their　fragrances　on　a　hot　day　can　be　giddying；　but　now；　with　evening　verging　on　night；　the　mingling　scents　seemed　to　soothe　my　head。　I　splashed　my　face　in　the　little　pool；　and　then　put　my　back　to　the　rock　wall　that　was　still　releasing　the　sun's　heat　back　to　the　night。　Frogs　were　chirruping　to　one　another。　I　lowered　my　eyes　and　watched　the　pond's　calm　surface　to　keep　myself　from　spinning。
　　　　　　　Footsteps。　Then　a　woman's　voice　asked　tartly；　〃Are　you　drunk？〃
　　　　　　　〃Not　quite；〃　I　replied　affably；　thinking　it　was　Tilly　the　orchard　girl。　〃Not　quite　enough　time　or　coin；〃　I　added　jokingly。
　　　　　　　〃I　suppose　you　learned　it　from　Burrich。　The　man　is　a　sot　and　a　lecher；　and　he　has　cultivated　like　traits　in　you。　Ever　he　brings　those　around　him　down　to　his　level。〃
　　　　　　　The　bitterness　in　the　woman's　voice　made　me　look　up。　I　squinted　through　the　dimming　light　to　make　out　her　features。　It　was　the　lady　of　the　previous　evening。　Standing　on　the　garden　path；　in　a　simple　shift；　she　looked　at　first　glance　to　be　little　more　than　a　girl。　She　was　slender；　and　less　tall　than　I；　though　I　was　not　overly　tall　for　my　fourteen　years。　But　her　face　was　a　woman's；　and　right　now　her　mouth　was　set　in　a　condemning　line；　echoed　by　the　brows　knit　over　her　hazel　eyes。　Her　hair　was　dark　and　curling；　and　though　she　had　tried　to　restrain　it；　ringlets　of　it　had　escaped　at　her　forehead　and　neck。
　　　　　　　It　was　not　that　I　felt　pelled　to　defend　Burrich；　it　was　simply　that　my　condition　was　no　doing　of　his。　So　I　made　answer　something　to　the　effect　that　as　he　was　some　miles　distant　in　a　different　town；　he　could　scarcely　be　responsible　for　what　I　put　in　my　mouth　and　swallowed。
　　　　　　　The　lady　came　two　steps　closer。　〃But　he　has　never　taught　you　better；　has　he？　He　has　never　counseled　you　against　drunkenness；　has　he？〃
　　　　　　　There　is　a　saying　from　the　Southlands　that　there　is　truth　in　wine。　There　must　be　a　bit　of　it　in　ale；　also。　I　spoke　it　that　night。　〃Actually；　my　lady；　he　would　be　greatly　displeased　with　me　right　now。　First；　he　would　berate　me　for　not　arising　when　a　lady　spoke　to　me。〃　And　here　I　lurched　to　my　feet。　〃And　then；　he　would　lecture　me　long　and　severely　about　the　behavior　expected　from　one　who　carries　a　prince's　blood；　if　not　his　titles。〃　I　managed　a　bow；　and　when　I　succeeded；　I　distinguished　myself　by　straightening　up　with　a　flourish。　〃So；　good　evening　to　you；　fair　lady　of　the　garden。　I　bid　you　good　night；　and　I　shall　remove　my　oafish　self　from　your　presence。〃
　　　　　　　I　was　all　the　way　to　the　arched　entryway　in　the　wall　when　she　called　out；　〃Wait！〃　But　my　stomach　gave　a　quietly　protesting　grumble；　and　I　pretended　not　to　hear。　She　did　not　e　after　me；　but　I　felt　sure　she　watched　me；　and　so　I　kept　my　head　up　and　my　stride　even　until　I　was　out　of　the　kitchen　courtyard。　I　took　myself　down　to　the　stables；　where　I　vomited　into　the　manure　pile　and　ended　up　sleeping　in　a　clean　empty　stall　because　the　steps　up　to　Burrich's　loft　looked　entirely　too　steep。
　　　　　　　But　youth　is　amazingly　resilient；　especially　when　feeling　threatened。　I　was　up　at　dawn　the　next　day；　for　I　knew　Burrich　was　expected　home　by　afternoon。　I　washed　myself　at　the　stables　and　decided　the　tunic　I　had　worn　for　the　last　three　days　needed　to　be　replaced。　I　was　doubly　conscious　of　its　condition　when　in　the　corridor　outside　my　room　the　lady　accosted　me。　She　looked　me　up　and　down；　and　before　I　could　speak；　she　addressed　me。
　　　　　　　〃Change　your　shirt；〃　she　told　me。　And　then　added；　〃Those